Towpath Talk February issue **FREE**

TOWPATH TO

The UK’s Number ONE read for all waterways users

TALK

72 PAGES

Issue 220, February 2024

One stop shop for maintenance, repairs & refits

01926 492968

See page 30 for details

www.kateboats.com

MAJOR INVESTMENT FOR YORKSHIRE WATERWAYS

P7

DRAUGHT HORSE WORKS ON GRANTHAM CANAL

P10

Under water Floodwater at Farndon Marina beside the River Trent at Newark. The marina is on the right, everything else is usually roadway with a small grassy area in between. More flood reports and photos on page 4. PHOTO: ALISON ALDERTON

INLAND ADVENTURES AWAIT AT BOATLIFE 2024

Your canals need you! Appeal for volunteers in wake of floods

P17

VOLUNTEERS have been urged to come forward to help care for the nation’s historic canals and the wildlife habitats along them.

The Canal & River Trust’s appeal coincides with the aftermath of the recent storms which shows how extreme weather events, alongside the passage of time, are hampering the trust’s efforts to protect its 250-year-old network of canals across England and Wales.

As floodwaters recede, the trust is highlighting ways people of all ages and abilities can help to keep canals alive.

TECHNICAL: DE-WINTERISING AND SERVICING YOUR BOAT

P44

BOATS FOR SALE Starts on

P21

STOCK BOATS

The appeal, championed by journalist and TV presenter Ranvir Singh, emphasises the vital role volunteers play in sustaining these centuries-old routes for boats and much-needed spaces for both wildlife and people.

She said: “Although there has been a remarkable growth in canal volunteering over the past decade, the ever more extreme weather events brought about by climate change illustrate the fragility of our national collection of canals and the much-loved wildlife that they are home to.

“As this season passes into spring and then into summer, there is such a wide variety of volunteering opportunities to get involved with on your local canal.

Last year thousands of volunteers contributed more than half a million hours to the Canal & River Trust.

“Taking part helps you feel like you have a legacy within your local area and to be proud of the environment you live in. It’s great to think that you can improve your own well-being, your community and even the environment in one go, just by volunteering!”

Complementing the charity’s expert staff, volunteers will assist the Canal & River Trust in a variety of roles.

These tasks will include joining or leading teams helping to carry out basic canal maintenance and wildlife improvements, volunteer lock keeping, operating historic swing bridges, helping the charity at its waterway museums and going into schools to teach children about canals and how to stay safe by water.

• Continued on page 2

Electric boat award

Junction plans refused

Canal trail

THE Milton Keynes all-electric community boat Electra received a silver award in the New Tourism Business category at the recent Beautiful South Tourism Awards.

Following shortlisting, an assessor joined the boat last September for a one-way cruise from Great Linford to Campbell Wharf. As well as being hosted by former chairman Jane Wolfson, assessor Huw Jarvis also met chairman and training leads Denise and Christian Taylor who were the crew that day. The presentation ceremony took place in December at Brighton’s Grand Hotel.

A PLANNING application to Stafford Borough Council for 27 houses directly opposite Great Haywood Canal Junction has been refused. At this iconic junction where the Trent & Mersey and Staffordshire & Worcestershire canals join, the historic Junction Bridge is not only a listed building but a scheduled ancient monument.

IWA’s Lichfield Branch had strongly objected to the plans on heritage grounds. The proposed development would have irreparably damaged the views and the setting of this unique part of the canals’ Conservation Areas.

THE Market Weighton Canal Trail has been launched thanks to a joint initiative by organisations in East Yorkshire. About 11.5 miles in length, the trail connects the Yorkshire Wolds Way at Market Weighton with the Trans Pennine Trail at Weighton Lock. Users can enjoy a leisurely walk or a spot of fishing while engaging with a wealth of wildlife and history along the whole route. The trail connects Iron Age settlements with 18th century canal locks and the surrounding habitat.

For information visit www.mwct.org.uk

at

INSTANT FUNDS

6 MONTHS FREE MOORING on selected Stock Boats

A SELECTION of STOCK BOATS now available for viewing and Purchase.

Terms and conditions apply

Visit www.eveshammarina.co.uk Today!

Evesham Marina Kings Road • Evesham • WR11 3XZ info@eveshammarina.co.uk

hrs

t accoun r bank to you

Boats Available...60ft,1 bedroom Eurocruiser, 60ft Fully Fitted Shearwater Narrowboat, 60ft Sailaway Additions Narrowboat... More to Follow...

01386 768500

FOR YOUR BOAT

NO OBLIGATION VALUATION BROKERAGE FROM 5%+VAT (Minimum charge applies)

your bo from o at with one ur mari nas

NORTHAMPTONSHIRE

CHESHIRE

www.whiltonmarina.co.uk

www.venetianmarina.co.uk

01327 842577

Daventry, Northamptonshire, NN11 2NH

01270 528251

Nantwich, Cheshire, CW5 6DD

2 WELCOME/NEWS

February 2024

WELCOME THIS month sees my final welcome as editor before leaving the hot seat to use the experience I have gained after more than 13 years at the helm to concentrate on news writing for Towpath Talk.

Stand-out moments for me include attending my first IWA festival at Beale Park in 2010; the narrowboat trip after completing my Inland Waterways Helmsman’s certificate at ABC Leisure’s Worcester base later that year; seeing the Olympic Park taking shape for London 2012 from a RIB; the birth of the Canal & River Trust and, more recently, the changes wrought by the Covid pandemic and the Reflections flotilla along the River Thames in 2022.

So many people have guided and supported me, especially our loyal contributors; Jonathan Ludford and the communications team at the Canal & River Trust; Tim Coghlan of Braunston Marina and, of course, the late Harry Arnold MBE. But times move on and I’m sure you will join me in wishing a warm welcome to Dan Clare, who takes over as editor from the March edition and who I’m sure will bring a fresh look to Towpath Talk.

As we look forward to spring and the start of a new cruising season, February brings the first major show of the year – BoatLife at the NEC Birmingham, see pages 16 and 17. River Canal Rescue shares some de-winterising and servicing tips on page 44 and Phil Pickin asks if anyone is taking bets on the weather for the months ahead, page 70.

The Fund Britain’s Waterways campaign plans a busy year starting with a weekend of action over the Early May bank holiday; this will be the theme of IWA’s Canalway Cavalcade and boaters attending this popular annual event are being invited to join a second campaign cruise past the Houses of Parliament, see story on next page.

Farewell but not goodbye

Janet Editor Janet Richardson jrichardson@mortons.co.uk Deputy editor: Dan Clare tteditorial@mortons.co.uk Publisher Tim Hartley Group advertising manager Sue Keily Advertising sales team leader Tania Shaw – 01507 529489 tshaw@mortons.co.uk Editorial design Chris Abrams Production editor Pauline Hawkins Publishing director Dan Savage Commercial director Nigel Hole Contact us Customer services 01507 529529 Telephone lines are open: MondayFriday 8.30am-5pm help@classicmagazines.co.uk www.classicmagazines.co.uk News & editorial Tel: 01507 529466/01507 529451 editorial@towpathtalk.co.uk Published by Mortons Media Group Ltd, Media Centre, Morton Way, Horncastle, Lincs, LN9 6JR Tel: 01507 523456. Tel: 01507 529301 Printed by Mortons Print Ltd Tel. 01507 523456 Next issue – February 22, 2024

Independent publisher since 1885

Conditions:Editorial is accepted subject to availability of space,and editorial policy on content and insertion cannot be guaranteed.The publisher retains the right to edit material submitted. Every effort is made to ensure accuracy through accurate and clear copy, but the publisher cannot be held responsible for errors or omissions.

Independently proven pick up: 34,450 copies

www.towpathtalk.co.uk

Loco lift bridge goes under the microscop pe

TURNBRIDGE lift bridge on the Huddersfield Broad Canal in West Yorkshire has gone under the microscope as the Canal & River Trust has been carrying out a vital inspection.

CRT’s bridge inspector used a cherry picker to reach the top of the 6m-high bridge, colloquially known as the locomotive or ‘loco’ lift bridge due to its powered mechanical movement, as part of a principal inspection to see if any repairs were needed.

Considered of national importance, this scheduled ancient monument is part of the trust’s extensive portfolio across its 2000-mile canal network, comprising listed structures, scheduled ancient monuments and sites of scientific interest.

The historic locomotive lift bridge goes under the microscope as the Canal & River Trust team carries out a vital inspection of the scheduled ancient monument.

Andy Featherby, bridge inspector at Canal & River Trust explained: “You certainly need a head for heights doing

my role! I’m carrying out the inspection in two stages, using the cherry picker to take a thorough look at the highest sections of the bridge, before completing the assessment from the ground. I’ll be looking for any structural changes or defects that could affect the stability of the structure, as well as signs of rusting and corrosion. From this inspection, we can work out how best to continue looking after this impressive bridge.”

Largely constructed during the reign of George III, the canal network is around 250 years old. The Canal & River Trust charity has the challenging task of keeping these historic structures in good working order with regular inspections and A cherry picker is used to reach the top of the 6m-high bridge. extensive maintenance.

The team is looking for any structural changes or defects that could affect the stability of the structure, as well as signs of rusting and corrosion. PHOTOS: CRT Sean McGinley, CRT regional director for Yorkshire & North East, added: “This is the most historically significant structure on the Huddersfield Broad Canal and will be 160 years old next year.

While many objects of this age are locked away in a museum, our canals showcase working heritage; you can see these amazing feats of engineering

and remarkable relics still being regularly used today.”

This winter, £50 million is being allocated to restoration and repairs across the network, with £10.1 million being spent within the Yorkshire & North East region. The trust’s winter schedule of works continues until March 2024, with its teams working on 18 sites across 11 waterways in the region.

Scottish Government removes boat moorings from visitor levy IN A move welcomed by the marine tourism industry, the Scottish Government has agreed to introduce an amendment to removing boat moorings and berthings from the scope of the visitor levy unless permanently moored and used for accommodation.

The Government officially responded to the Local G overnment, Housing and Planning Committee’s

Stage 1 Report on the levy, a discretionary local council tax.

British Marine Scotland chairman Sarah Kennedy said: “We are immensely pleased that, having listened to our representations, the Scottish Government has accepted our case and now agreed that boat moorings and berthings should not be included in the legislation and will now bring forward an amendment.

“This is a huge relief as, without the amendment, the visitor levy would place an excessive burden on mooring providers, which includes many small businesses and voluntary organisations.”

She added: “Both the charge and administrative costs would otherwise have to be passed on to boaters irrespective of whether onboard accommodation is

ever utilised or is even possible.

“We trust that the Scottish Parliament will support this forthcoming amendment and so help protect Scotland’s world-renowned leisure marine tourism offer.”

The Scottish Government’s decision to introduce this Stage 2 amendment follows the Lead Committee’s recommendations and the evidence it received from stakeholders.

These included British Marine Scotland’s robust response on behalf of the leisure marine industry, informed by The Yacht Harbour Association (TYHA) and backed by evidence from other key organisations including RYA Scotland.

Read more here: https:// w w w . g o v. s c o t / n e w s / visitor-levy-legislation-passesfirst-stage/

Your canals need you! Appeal for volunteers in wake of floods • Continued from page 1 CRT head of volunteering Christine Mellor said: “Volunteering has gone from strength to strength over the past decade, with our dedicated volunteers working alongside our teams of experts, expanding the impact of the work we are able to carry out. With volunteers’ support, donating their time, knowledge and skills, we are better able to keep our canals available for nature and wildlife and for communities to benefit from.

“The ageing canal network, coupled with the challenges of extreme weather events and recently announced future

cuts in government funding, demands our callout for all hands on deck and, if you are interested and thinking of joining us, our message is ‘your canal needs you’.”

As well as helping the trust, volunteering on the canals provides its own health benefits. Canals have been proven to have a positive impact on people’s mental well-being. A study last year by King’s College London showed positive associations between visits to canals and rivers and mental wellbeing, as well as a positive experience for feelings of safety and social inclusion relative to other environments.

According to the data, in the last four years there has been a 30% increase in people visiting canals for a range of leisure uses including boating, angling, walking, cycling, running, paddle boarding as well as walking the dog and even commuting. Nine million people in England and Wales are within a 10-minute walk of the canal network.

For further information and to find out how best to get involved visit: https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/ volunteer TV presenter Ranvir Singh is championing the appeal. PHOTO: CRT

NEWS 3

www.towpathtalk.co.uk February 2024

Weekend of action planned for Early May bank holiday The campaign cruise to the Palace of Westminster in November.

PHOTO COURTESY FRANCES PHASEY

CAMPAIGNING coalition Fund Britain’s Waterways is staging an important weekend of action over the Early May bank holiday weekend (May 4-6, 2024) to highlight the impact of insufficient funding for Britain’s 5000 miles of inland waterways.

The weekend of action is planned to take place across the country on waterways managed by different inland navigation authorities. It will coincide with IWA’s annual Canalway Cavalcade at Little Venice in London, which this year will be themed on Fund Britain’s Waterways.

Boaters attending Cavalcade are invited to join a campaign cruise past the Houses of

Parliament on Wednesday, May 8, as the culmination of the weekend of action.

Parliamentarians will be encouraged to view the event and express their support for the continued maintenance of the waterways to enable them to keep on delivering economic, health, environmental and well-being benefits.

It is hoped that activities taking place across the country over the weekend will attract local and national media attention, building up to the Westminster Cruise which it is hoped will attract national coverage.

FBW is seeking local groups to organise events during the weekend of action to spread

the word that waterways need to be properly funded to stop them from falling into decline.

Events can be as simple as a few boats gathered together at a ‘public’ location where flyers can be handed out and people be encouraged to sign the petition or get more involved.

If you or your organisation could organise an event over the weekend or help promote the FBW cause at any events you are involved in at any time throughout the year, please contact Hazel Owen, hazelowen.awcc@outlook. com and 07929 204811.

After launching at the end of June 2023, FBW has created an impressive coalition of member organisations totalling well over 100, representing hundreds of thousands of users and supporters of inland waterways. A public petition has attracted close to 50,000 signatures. Three well-reported campaign cruises in Birmingham, Gloucester and past the Palace of Westminster on the Thames have substantially raised awareness of the challenges facing our canals and rivers and the need for action.

More small grants for restoration work THE Northern Canals Association’s spring meeting will take place on Sunday, March 17, hosted by the Lichfield and Hatherton Canals Restoration Group which is putting together the programme for the day.

Last year NCA founder and president Keith Gibson made his first request in respect of small grants from David Tomlinson’s Weeping Cross Fund. Following his call for good causes to apply, the fund paid £1000 each to the Accessible Waterways Association, Friends of the Cromford Canal, Shropshire Union Canal Society and Stafford Riverway Link.

Keith is now asking for expressions of interest for funding this year. He said: “It is my intention that the fund will make three or four awards mainly to identifiable restoration works or to essential studies prior to such works.

“Although I would prefer donations from the fund to be given to schemes that can identify sources of matching funding to increase the benefits achieved, that is not an essential criterion. And, while I would prefer to make payments to groups which did not receive payments last year, I will not limit last year’s recipients from applying again.”

About the fund

During the years when the Huddersfield Narrow Canal was being restored, Keith Gibson chaired the Huddersfield Canal Society’s restoration company and, following its success, was persuaded to form the Northern Canals Association as an informal meeting place.

Having chaired three NCA meetings a year for over 14 years, he retired after a period of ill health, and then became its president.

Keith writes: “For most of that time, the late David Tomlinson attended and took notes of meetings. David lived in the Weeping Cross district of Stafford where, by coincidence, I had lived when I worked in Stafford more years ago than I care to mention.

“He was a key player in the restoration of the Stourbridge Canal and he continued to attend meetings of the Pocklington Canal Amenity Society long after I had gone on to do other things.

“David regularly stopped off at our home as a halfway point on his way between Stafford and Pocklington when we discussed his idea of setting up what he decided to call the Weeping Cross Fund.

When he then set up the fund, being considerably older than me, he also arranged that I would take over the supervision of the fund in the event of his passing.”

Keith hopes to offer three or four sums of around £1000-£1500 during the year. Applications should comprise simple facts on one side of A4 paper and be submitted by email before the end of June 2024 to keithgibson763@ gmail.com NCA’s autumn meeting will take place on Sunday, October 6 at Montgomery Canal. In 2025 the March meeting will be on the Cromford and in October on the Newport.

Demonstration narrowboat showcases new fuel cell technology A MILESTONE in marine history has been achieved by Bramble Energy with the launch of a hydrogen-electric boat powered by a printed circuit board fuel cell (PCBFC).

The 57ft narrowboat was launched on to the water in Sheffield where it has successfully completed testing, emissions-free, using a custom marinised fuel cell system.

This system has the potential to provide the vessel with about 600 miles of range using the 14kg of hydrogen stored on board, as well as additional power being supplied from solar panels on the boat’s roof to the 22kWh battery system.

Co-founder and CEO of Bramble Energy Tom Mason said: “In a short amount of time we have designed, developed, built and launched a working demonstration of our PCBFC technology within a marine application.

“With the fuel cell stack successfully integrated into the narrowboat, it has now completed a comprehensive testing programme on UK inland waterways.

“Now, at its Hydrogen Innovation Hub in Crawley, the Bramble Energy team will analyse the boat's data along with vital information about the fuel cell’s performance under real-world conditions. This analysis will support the future development of PCBFC systems

for wider maritime applications.”

The vessel, which has been built from the ground up, has been under construction in Sheffield where Bramble engineers have created a completely new design of a hydrogen system to meet marine requirements. The vessel has the potential to save each boat using this powertrain technology up to 12 tonnes of CO2 per year.

As the lead partner in the HyTime project working alongside custom engine builder Barrus, Bramble Energy created the demonstration vessel that showcases the vast potential of its PCBFC technology to quickly and cost-effectively decarbonise the marine sector.

The hydrogen boat completes real-world testing. PHOTO: BRAMBLE ENERGY

4 NEWS

February 2024

www.towpathtalk.co.uk

Donations mount for owner of sunken narrowboat

AS a series of storms and widespread flooding swept across the country a narrowboat was pinned against Bridge 30, north of Barrow Lock in the Proctor’s Park area of Barrow upon Soar, due to record-breaking flood water.

It dragged the boat, and the scaffold poles used for mooring the vessel, a third of a mile away from its location on the River Soar in Leicestershire.

River Canal Rescue was called to assist after the fire brigade was unable to help.

Managing director Stephanie Horton took up the story: “At around 8.30am on Thursday, January 4, we were contacted and advised that the boat broke from its mooring in the middle of the night and was now resting against a bridge and at risk of capsizing.

“Within 20 minutes we had ‘eyes on the ground’ to assess the situation and possibility of recovering it. The gunwales on one side were under water and with the surrounding area also under water and the river around 3m higher than normal, access to the boat was limited.

“Health and safety concerns and putting lives at risk prevented us from getting on to the boat, and attaching ropes to secure it, and in addition there was nothing to attach them to; other than the bridge, as everything was under water.

“Liaising with the Environment Agency and assessing flood conditions, it

The boat capsizes as onlookers watch from the bank.

PHOTO: RCR

Just the roof of the narrowboat could be seen when this photo was taken. PHOTO: LES HEATH

The stricken narrowboat against the bridge at Barrow upon Soar. PHOTO: RCR

was predicted there would be a drop in water levels due later that afternoon, and after speaking with the customer to highlight the risks and possibility of recovery, a four-man team was dispatched to site, to coincide with the drop in water levels.”

Stephanie explained: “As there were chains on the boat at the front and

back, we used these to attach strops and a winch cable. The plan was to use vehicles and park on a drier side of the adjoining fields, and winches to pull the vessel out of danger.

“Having set up winches and ropes, we needed to keep the area clear. Cables under tension, pulling 10 tons of boat against a flow are under incredible tension and can potentially snap and with the possibility of them flying in any direction, it’s important there are no

Storm Henk flooding takes its toll THE East Midlands was one of the regions worst affected

by Storm Henk. Stephen Hardy of the Canal & River Trust reports:

below Pillings Lock, where a section of canal bank has been washed out – we are currently assessing this and investigating a repair.

There was also extensive flooding in Leicester, with many properties being affected in the Belgrave area.

River Soar

The River Soar has seen unprecedented levels resulting in extensive flooding across Leicestershire in Leicester, Cossington, Sileby, Barrow-upon-Soar, Quorn, Loughborough and Zouch, with more than 300 properties flooded and damage to narrowboats.

Our teams have done a valiant job trying to manage the water as best they could, clearing weirs and operating sluices, but in many cases the water levels were so

GU Leicester Line

Widebeam Ghost of a Rose sank below Pillings Flood Lock on the Soar Navigation during the storm.

PHOTO: LES HEATH

high that it simply went over and around locks and other structures.

Some damage has emerged at Top Bridge,

The floodwaters have worsened the damage to a section of canal bank which occurred during Storm Babet – between Kings Lock and Blue Bank Lock. This latest flooding has spread the damage, which includes towpath erosion and the section of steel piling being pushed over, by a further 10m. Our engineers and contractors are working on a repair which we anticipate could begin in March.

High levels of water were recorded in a number of pounds on the Leicester Line resulting in overtopping at Debdale, Avon Embankment and Yelvertoft. There was some overtopping on the Weedon Embankment and the River Tove was in flood for several days, putting extreme pressure on the pound below Stoke Bruerne to Cosgrove.

Erewash Canal

Farndon Marina, Newark – the marina is on the right, everything else is roadway with a small grassy area in between but as it flooded this became weirlike.

Roger Harrington is pictured rowing up the roadway with beagle Maksi. PHOTO: ALISON ALDERTON

The Environment Agency closed Trent Lock flood gates on January 4. Our teams have been on site managing the water levels on the Erewash Canal

people around before we commenced operations, or if there are, they’re a safe distance away and within the 45-degree safe zone behind the winch.

“Unfortunately although levels were conducive, there were around 30 onlookers and despite our best attempts to move them to a safe distance, they continued to edge forward which hindered the operation.”

She added: “Our staff know that under no circumstances are they permitted to use winches and put people in danger, risking a potential decapitation, and we must have spent around 30 minutes trying to get people to move away from the area. At one stage, we thought about calling the police to help us clear the site.

“While trying to disperse the crowds and get them to move away from the working area, there was an unexpected surge in water levels and within five minutes the boat capsized. It all happened very quickly and our frustration is that if we hadn’t spent so long trying to move onlookers, we might have winched the boat to safety before the water surge.”

Stephanie concluded: “Nothing can now be done until water levels come down, which could be weeks, and this is a job requiring divers, who will not go in if there’s a flow on the river. The boat owner does not have

insurance and having lost his home and his possessions, his family and friends have set up a fundraising page to help him pay for recovery and future costs.”

Fundraising pages

Owner Mick Richardson’s stepdaughter Katie Stafford said she had set up a fundraising page on GoFundMe to help him rebuild his life, see https://www. gofundme.com/f/micks-boat “My stepdad had a beautiful narrowboat which was his home, it was filled with so many memories over the last 10-plus years and more to come,” she said.

“He has lost his home, and possessions. So many sentimental things still on the boat, we need to lift her out of the water and see what we can do with her. This has broken my stepdad’s heart, which has broken mine, my mum’s and his family’s too.”

At the time of going to press almost half of the £5000 goal had been raised.

YouTube contributor Narrowboat Super B – aka Jim Moreland – has also set up a GoFundMe page, see https://www. gofundme.com/f/narrowboat-sinkingat-barrowonsoar – find out more on YouTube by searching for ‘narrowboat disaster at Barrow on Soar’.

At the time of going to press more than £5000 of the £7000 goal Jim had set had been raised.

Appeal for missing dragon boats The bank collapse below Pillings Lock.

PHOTO: CRT

as much as possible by reducing the feed at Langley Mill and clearing fixed and bypass weirs of debris.

We’ve also been liaising with the relevant business owners at Trent Lock.

River Trent

The Loughborough-based Soaring Dragons Boat Club put out an appeal on social media after boats, including a special racing boat, broke free of their lines and racking in the River Soar.

They reported: “We have a sighting of the 40ft (red and black) boat passing by the Otter in Kegworth and another sighting maybe heading towards Redhill Marina. The white 20ft boat was stuck in bushes 200ft from Loughborough Boat Club but has since moved, we have not had a sighting since. We are also looking for a green one.”

The club reported that it had been overwhelmed by the support received from a GoFundMe page: Help Us Rise from the Floodwaters. More than £1200 of its £4000 goal had been raised at the time of going to press. It posted on Facebook: “We were off out hunting again yesterday; we found a boat but just the wrong one. Please keep those eyes peeled.”

The Trent reached a 23-year high, causing extensive flooding, with the peak on January 5.

All flooding protocols along the Upper and Lower Trent have been in place since before the Christmas break. The Trent has been in various stages of flood since mid-October with our teams setting levels along Cranfleet cut and Newark basin according to the rising and falling of the river. The car park of our Newark office flooded but water didn’t enter the building.

Debris left by the flooding. PHOTO: CRT

NEWS 5

www.towpathtalk.co.uk February 2024

Heritage group’s hard work reaps rewards Litter pick volunteers get involved in a spring clean.

THE hard work put into Paddington Meadows and the New Cut Canal by volunteers at the New Cut Ecology and Heritage group over the past 10 years has produced some outstanding results during 2023 on all fronts, with nature in particular benefiting.

Recent bird counts have seen record figures with as many as 46 different species on the meadows and

surrounding river/canal environments in one day alone. The New Cut volunteers have begun a policy of ‘dead hedging’ whereby fallen branches and twigs are piled into a hedge to create a perfect habitat for insects and birds to feed, hide and nest in to further increase their populations.

During the cold winter months, several talks were given. Alan Brown

gave a talk on the history of Daresbury Laboratory and archaeology, Tony Parker a talk on bumblebees and George Pilkington on the topic of encouraging wildlife in your area.

During the summer Dave Higginson Tranter, Dave Winnard and Stuart Frazer, all expert naturalists, accompanied the group on walks along the New Cut Trail and Paddington Meadows pointing out

New director for CRT’s West Midlands region

THE Canal & River Trust has announced the appointment of Henriette Breukelaar as the new director for the West Midlands in which it has 520 miles of waterways.

Henr iette, who takes up her appointment on April 1, has had a diverse career, most recently as CEO at Greater Birmingham and Solihull Local Enterprise Partnership. Before that, she spent four years as an executive director at ExtraCare Charitable Trust, four years as director at High Value Manufacturing Catapult, and 10 years as partnerships

Henriette Breukelaar joins the Canal & River Trust as West Midlands regional director in April.

PHOTO: CRT

director with the regional development agency.

Henriette, who

originates from the Netherlands but has chosen to spend much of her working life in the West Midlands, said: “I am passionate about the region, the people, its culture and heritage.

Canals are central to life in the West Midlands and an adequately funded and well looked after canal network is so important for the health and wellbeing of this special place. I’m excited to be joining the trust at this pivotal time.”

Although she doesn’t formally join the trust until April, Henriette will be taking the opportunity over

the coming weeks to start spending time with the team of staff, volunteers and partner organisations.

CRT chief operating officer Julie Sharman said: “She will be an inspiring leader for the West Midlands, whose former industrial canals are uniquely placed to support the recovery of wildlife and bring nature into cities, improve community wellbeing, tackle health inequalities and support jobs and the regional economy.

“There are challenges ahead to keep our 250-yearold waterways safe

and available to all, as more frequent extreme weather events take a toll alongside significant funding challenges. “ H e n r i e t t e ’s experience will be invaluable in that journey. Ahead of his retirement from the trust, I’d also like to thank Adnan Saif for his enthusiasm and commitment as regional director, including ensuring the canals were so well showcased as part of Coventry 2021 UK City of Culture, and that they played a key part in celebrating the region at the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games.”

An example of the ‘dead hedge’. PHOTOS SUPPLIED butterflies, grasses, moss, wild plants, fungi, insects and trees.

The group has also joined forces with the Women’s Institute in maintaining and improving a small wildlife garden alongside Woolston Lock. In the latter part of the year, they prepared the ground as WI members planted spring bulbs. No doubt these will look stunning in spring, alongside the lock, with the River Mersey in the background.

Nature doesn’t stop as the sun goes down and as darkness encroaches bats take over the night sky searching for insects. Every year in August local bat enthusiast Harold ‘Batman’ Green, with his sidekick Michael, leads New Cut volunteers and local residents on bat walks and undertakes surveys on the meadows in Warrington, Cheshire.

Weekly working parties have continually improved pedestrian access by maintaining bridges, paths and wildflower meadows while a record 26 volunteers turned out for the annual spring clean litter pick in March.

The former towpath on the canal, now fully tarmacked for its entire length, is attracting ever-increasing numbers of cyclists, walkers and joggers.

Education and outreach saw significant development in 2023 with a new set of information boards positioned around the meadows explaining the flora and fauna of the area. Every year, two volunteers visit Woolston Church of England Primary School to take part in lessons about the history of Woolston.

The group is active at local community and open day events, taking their display stands to both inform and answer questions from the public on the wildlife and history of the area.

The group has had wonderful financial support from parish and borough councils, local businesses and funders alike, to help support their work. The one thing that impresses everyone is that the team of volunteers always deliver great results. There is still a lot more that can be done to improve the ecology of this special piece of green space and more volunteers are always welcome.

Volunteers clearing up around the information board.

SAVES YOU TIME & MONEY For your nearest dealer visit www.elsan.co.uk Use biocides safely. Always read the label and product information before use.

G R E AT BRIT ISH P R O DU C T S

6 NEWS

February 2024

www.towpathtalk.co.uk

Plea goes out to help fund Brent Reservoir clean-up

THE Canal & River Trust is asking the public for one last push to help crowdfund a ‘once-in-ageneration opportunity’ to clean up the drained Brent (Welsh Harp) Reservoir.

The £15,000 appeal is now less than £700 away from reaching its target, as the programme of winter maintenance work presents the trust and its partners with a unique opportunity to tackle the years of littering being revealed by the receding waters.

With the draining process well under way and expected to continue for several more weeks, a fish rescue is planned as well as the removal of rubbish from the reservoir bed by contractors and additional volunteer litter picks along the shore.

Ros Daniels, the Canal & River Trust’s director for London & South East, explained: “The Welsh Harp, with Brent Reservoir at its heart, is one of London’s most significant urban wild spaces. We are carrying out these essential statutory repairs to the reservoir’s structures over the winter months so as not to impact nesting birds, including great crested grebes.

“Sadly, local wildlife is fighting a constant battle against plastic

Rescuing fish from the reservoir before it is fully drained. pollution and fly-tipping from external sources.

“Over the years our reservoir has filled with rubbish, threatening the health of water birds and all the wildlife that makes its home here.

“But now we have a unique opportunity, while the reservoir is drained for maintenance work, to clear up the reservoir for both nature and people.”

She added: “As well as organising volunteer events with local partners to remove rubbish from the land surrounding the reservoir, we are employing a specialist contractor to remove debris from the drained reservoir.

However, the scale and ambition of the work we plan to carry out

is far greater than the funds available to us as a charity, so we’ve launched a crowdfunding campaign to help support it.”

Fish rescue

To complete the statutory works, which are required under the Reservoir Act 1975 and were identified during an inspection, the reservoir needs to be fully drained. Canal & River Trust national fisheries and angling manager John Ellis said: “Before the reservoir is fully drained, we’re carrying out a fish rescue, employing specialist contractors.

The fish will be caught in nets and then placed in large containers of oxygenated water where they can recover for a few minutes

GUARANTEE DELIVERY

TPT delivered to your door for only £1.67 an issue

TOWPATH

FREE

Issue 171, January 2020

TALK

waterways users The UK’s Number ONE read for all

96 PAGES

FREE INSIDE

2020 YEAR PLANNER YOUNG VOLUNTEER EARNS AWARD

Winter waters

P3

NEW APPEAL FOR PRESIDENT

P4

NARROWBOAT’S UNUSUAL CARGO

p24

Narrowboats moored on the Leeds

West & Liverpool Canal at Parbold, W

By Janet Richardson

BOAT TREKKER AT FINAL FRONTIER

P25

FOR BREAKING NEWS & BOATS FOR SALE visit our website

www.towpathtalk.co.uk

ATS FOR SALE A BOATS Starts on

P63

COLIN WAREING Lancashire in January 2019. PHOTO:

eams for 2019 are revealed k’s TTop TTeams T k’s Towpath Talk a s, we bid farewell awn AS A new decade dawn t th to 2019 with the results of our Towpath op Team award which has been Top kT Talk r r. running throughout the year.

With four teams shortlisted for the final with vote it was a veryy close-run contest t volunteers ty the Grantham Canal Society taking the title by a short head.

Such was the support also for from Crusader Community Boating first Blisworth that we are awarding our a rd – something Community Boat awa f the we had alreadyy been planning for r r. coming year. of Commended are the Friends the River Nene and the Waterways Chaplaincy’s Martin and Fiona Buck.

Award presentations to our finalists

r The r. will take place in the new year. off a winning team receives the hire day boat carrying up to 10 people, generously sponsored by ABC Leisure Group Ltd. The runner-up will receive a £100 voucher to spend at Midland four Chandlers at Braunston and all donation finalists will receive a £100 towards their volunteering organisation the from Mortons Media Group Ltd,

alk.

Tal tth T publisher of Towpath Our thanks go to the readers who rose of to the challenge of finding a group aave gone that extra unsung heroes who have f their local stretch off towpath, mile for a association or ays canal or river, waterways a our judging ave community boat – and gave the panel a difficult job of shortlisting four finalists.

• Continued on page 2

found on a boat moored Ouse bodies t achievemen f nd 100-dayCommunity of two men were fou probe Action Network (UCAN) THE bodies Boats gunshot were called UPPERMILL Y k city centre. Emergency services after starting in Yor investigating damage to narrowboats POLICE are Officers were after gunshots were fired in Cambridge. a December 5, at around 10.15pm, ay, called on Thursday, f m shots fro after nearbyy residents reported hearing near boats on the what was believed to be an air rifle the window of one River Cam. Photographs off holes in a since been published. One resident ave of the boats have Chesterton the from told reporters thatt shots, coming moored at Browns side of the river, were fired at boats five about for on Field, Fen Ditton, and this went no injuries were minutes. Cambridgeshire Police said reported and enquiries were continuing.

achieved its 100-day volunteering milestone 2300 hours of out in 2015. This included more than who, according voluntary work achieved by local people to, crafting to UCAN, “care about, and are committed environment”. and maintaining our beautiful local and for the positive Thanks were given to all supporters, work parties will feedback from the community. The next 8 and 20. The usual be on January 4 and 23, and February on Moorgate meeting point is 10am at the canal bridge Killan on 01457 Street but this can change. Contact Peter 878361 or peterkillan@hotmail.com

at around 8pm to Lendal Bridge on the River Ouse said officers on December 4. North Yorkshire Police f two men for attended “after concerns were raised with their touch in their 60s who had been out of bodies. Fire .” Upon arrival officers found the family.”

The deaths and ambulance services both attended. although did were being treated as ‘unexplained’ a post-mortem not appear to be suspicious and The men had not examination was due to take place. alk went to press.

Tal tth T been identified when Towpath

11/12/2019 10:17:16

To save you having to track down a copy every month, take advantage of our special offer

Delivery from just £20 This great deal means you will pay just £1.67 for your copy to be delivered to your home.

That’s cheaper than chips!

Call 01507 529529

QUOTE OFFER CODE: TPT01

www.classicmagazines.co.uk/TPT01

Placing the fish in containers of oxygenated water ready for their move.

A true specimen weighing circa 12lb. PHOTOS: CRT

before being rehomed at various locations on the trust’s network.

“We expect to rescue thousands of fish from Brent Reservoir, including roach, perch, bream, carp and pike.

“When the reservoir has been refilled with water, we plan to restock it with native fish species, including roach and perch, beginning in the spring and completing next autumn and winter.”

The reservoir works, which are supported by players of the People’s Postcode Lottery, will include repairs to the chains and rods that operate the reservoir’s sluices, and repainting the Valve House Tower from where the sluice gates which control the water levels in the reservoir are operated.

Public access around the reservoir will remain throughout the works, but signs are in place

Canal & River Trust national fisheries and angling manager John Ellis estimates there are around 100,000 fish in the reservoir.

PHOTO: JANET RICHARDSON

warning visitors not to walk on the reservoir’s drained area and mud for their own safety.

To donate to the trust’s Welsh Harp (Brent) Reservoir clean-up crowd funding campaign, go to: www.crowdfunder.co.uk/ help-us-with-the-welsh-harpbrent-clean-up

Traditional techniques used to improve Market Harborough canal hedgerows

IMPORTANT hedgerows running alongside the Grand Union Canal in Market Harborough in Leicestershire are set to be improved thanks to a partnership project between the Canal & River Trust, Sustrans and Harborough District Council.

The charities are working together to bring traditional hedgelaying skills to the towpath that will breathe new life into the canal’s centuriesold hedgeline, making it more attractive and better for wildlife.

If left unmanaged the hedgerow will simply grow upwards and become a line of separate trees, leaving wildlife vulnerable to predators and the elements.

To prevent this, contractors will be carrying out hedgelaying, using traditional techniques which involve cutting stems and bending them so that over time they grow horizontally and intertwine, forming a thick, bushy barrier. Local volunteers will also have the opportunity to help deliver the habitat improvements.

Richard Bennett, heritage and environment manager for the Canal & River Trust, explained: “The growing threat of habitat loss means that our waterways are an increasingly important haven for wildlife, and canalside hedgerows give many of our most cherished species a valuable lifeline.

“Canal hedges are often among the oldest, making them particularly valuable for wildlife. That’s why our work to keep canals alive and protect

Revamped Market Harborough towpath. habitats such as hedgerows is so important.

“The works will showcase this ancient countryside skill to people enjoying the new towpath and will soon reinvigorate the hedgerow, making them healthier, stronger and better for some of our best-loved species.”

These works are being carried out as part of a wider project that has seen 2km of canal towpath in the town improved for boaters and local people. Funding for the project has come from the Department for Transport through Sustrans’ Paths For

A newly laid hedgerow using traditional techniques

Everyone programme as well as a Section 106 contribution from the Wellington Place housing development through Harborough District Council.

Many stretches of canalside hedgerow are more than 200 years old and are the canal’s oldest established habitat.

They would originally have been planted by 18th century private canal owners to protect the towpath from cattle and other livestock.

Clare Maltby, Sustrans’ England director Midlands and East, said: “Hedgerows have a crucial role in supporting healthier, stronger and more diverse ecosystems.

They also make the National Cycle Network an even more attractive place to be, providing a further reason to choose active travel.

“This is just one of the many improvements our Paths for Everyone programme is helping to deliver right across the country.”

NEWS 7

www.towpathtalk.co.uk February 2024 Re-grouting of a wall at Grade I-listed Bingley Five Rise Locks recently took place. PHOTOS: CRT

Reclaimed masonry and traditional lime mortar techniques are used where possible during the repairs at this important heritage site.

Work carried out over the winter forms part of CRT’s ongoing efforts to keep canals in Yorkshire alive and accessible for local people.

THE Canal & River Trust has begun a programme of vital repairs and conservation work this winter to protect Yorkshire’s historic canals and ensure they remain open and safe for boaters and towpath users to enjoy.

Investing more than £10 million, the trust is carrying out a range of important and complex heritage and conservation tasks during the ‘quieter’ winter months, to minimise disruption to canal and towpath visitors, as the nation’s waterways boast more visitors now than at the height of the Industrial Revolution (1.5 million unique visits per fortnight to the trust’s Yorkshire waterways).

Still navigated by boats as they have been for hundreds of years, and acting as linear parks benefiting people and wildlife, the canals in Yorkshire are as important now as they were at the height of the Industrial Revolution, when they were the freight ‘motorways’ of their day. But age and the extreme weather that is becoming more common due to climate change mean the year-round work

of the trust, including the support it is given by thousands of volunteers, is vital in looking after the network.

Sean McGinley, regional director for the Canal & River Trust, said: “Our region’s canals are hundreds of years old, but they aren’t locked away in a museum. They are here to be used and enjoyed daily by millions of people and provide important habitats for nature and wildlife. The work of our skilled teams, aided by our volunteers and partners, will make sure Yorkshire’s canals are kept open and shipshape.

“This year, we’ve faced some of the greatest threats to the future of the canals in more than 60 years. Battered by storms and floods, the cost of keeping these ageing canals safe has soared. Against this backdrop, the Government has announced significant cuts in the vital funding it will be making available for the care of this historic network.

“We are determined to safeguard the canals and all the benefits they bring to our local communities, so we’ll be rolling up our sleeves to deliver the care

Major investment for Yorkshire waterways and maintenance required, and to fundraise the money needed. The work we are carrying out this winter is part of our ongoing effort to keep canals in Yorkshire alive and accessible for local people.”

Repairs include replacing worn-out lock gates, repairing historic bridges, inspecting tunnels and dredging canals, to keep this important part of the country’s infrastructure available for local people.

The winter schedule of works will continue until March, with teams working on 18 sites across 11 waterways.

Additionally, conservation works to the Bingley section of the Leeds & Liverpool Canal have recently been completed. These works involved restoring a 50-metre stretch of washwall, situated just upstream of Grade I-listed Bingley Five Rise Locks, which had been leaning into the canal significantly, affecting boater mooring posts and causing potholes to form in the towpath.

Using reclaimed masonry and traditional lime mortar techniques where possible during the

repairs at this important heritage site, works also included re-grouting a wall at Bingley Five Rise Locks to minimise leakage along this historic structure, which celebrates its 250th anniversary in 2024.

The lock gates weigh several tonnes and typically last around 25 years. Each new gate is hand-crafted in the trust’s specialist workshops at Stanley Ferry in West Yorkshire or Bradley in the West Midlands and is made to measure from seasoned oak so that it fits perfectly in each historic lock chamber.

This winter the trust is investing more than £50 million on waterways across England and Wales with £10.1 million being invested across the Yorkshire region. For more information on the work of the Canal & River Trust, including how to support through volunteering or making a donation, go to www.canalrivertrust. org.uk

Upgrade your power.

Make the future.

Our flexible and rigid solar panels, inverters and batteries are powering the next generation of narrowboats.

We provide bespoke system design service and lifetime technical support completely free of charge.

We are experts in our field with 13 years of experience and over 100,000 customers.

Contact us on 020 3150 1111 or info@photonicuniverse.com

Photonic Universe

Solar Panels • Inverters • Charge Controllers

• Batteries • Wind Turbines • Accessories

photonicuniverse.com

8 NEWS

February 2024

www.towpathtalk.co.uk

Volunteers rebuild ‘waiting wall’ at Pewsham

HARD-WORKING volunteers have completed the restoration of another important structure on the Wilts & Berks Canal.

They recently finished the ‘waiting wall’ at Pewsham Locks, the flight of three locks which once lifted narrowboats almost 30ft on their journey between Melksham and Chippenham.

Crews moored up at the wall while they waited to travel through the final chamber at the top of the flight or visited the adjacent lock keeper’s cottage.

Volunteers from the Melksham, Chippenham & Calne branch of the Wilts & Berks Canal Trust spent almost a year on the project. Work involved rebuilding 18m of wall which was almost 2m high, to complete the 35m length between the two higher locks, known as Middle Lock and Top Lock.

Trust work party organiser Ray

Volunteers laying the foundations of the new waiting wall.

PHOTO: HOWARD WILSON

Canter said: “The original wall was in a very poor condition so we had to start from scratch, building back up again from the foundations.

“It was a major piece of work as the new structure needed to be strong enough to retain all of the soil on the slope behind it

The Burton towpath team. PHOTO: CRT

Trent towpath to be transformed by £2m revamp

By Les Heath

TOWPATH

TALK

A FIVE-and-ahalf mile section of the 246-yearold Trent & Mersey Canal around Burton upon Trent is to be transformed by a £2 million plan to enhance its attractiveness to walkers.

The stretch between Branston Water Park, south of Burton, and the Dove aqueduct to the north of the town will also have its towpath resurfaced and widened to create ‘green highways’ for attracting wildlife.

The Government’s Towns Fund will pay for part of the project in partnership with East Staffordshire Borough Council.

Additional money from the National Lottery Heritage Fund’s Transforming the Trent Valley scheme will pay for improvements to wildlife habitat along the canal.

Endangered species such as water voles will benefit from the installation of coir rolls – sausage-shaped mats pre-planted with water plants and flowers. These also help to prevent bank erosion. New trees will also be planted and hedgerows improved to encourage a variety of wildlife.

The borough council’s cabinet member for regeneration and development Coun Rob Hawkins said: “These works will allow residents and visitors to explore the town

while enjoying the beautiful scenery the canals provide.”

The new year-round towpath surface will run from Branston Water Park to Dove Aqueduct and will create a traffic-free route for walkers, boaters and cyclists who will no longer have to contend with puddles.

Canal & River Trust’s enterprise manager James Dennison said: “The canals are now a place for boaters and people who live and work alongside them, to spend some time in nature and enjoy the well-being benefits of being by water.”

This project will be delivered in three phases with the first, from Branston Water Park to the outskirts of Burton, due for completion early this year. The second phase from Stretton to Dove Aqueduct will follow, with the final phase focusing on the Shobnall area.

The towpath and visitor moorings will remain open as long as possible while work is carried out over the spring and summer.

Work has already started to improve the towpath near Branston Water Park visitor moorings, just south of Burton upon Trent. PHOTO: LES HEATH

GUARANTEE DELIVERY From just £20

TEL: 01507 529529 QUOTING: TPT02

The towpath at the Dove aqueduct – the most northerly point of the improvement scheme. PHOTO: LES HEATH

Canal Trust volunteers Ray Canter and Basil Raddy in front of the waiting wall at Pewsham Locks, with Top Lock being restored in the background.

PHOTO: JUSTIN GUY

but we had a great team of volunteers who worked in all weathers.”

He continued: “Many of them were retired bricklayers, builders and engineers whose expertise was invaluable, while other volunteers helped with mixing mortar and concrete, or cleaning the original 19th century bricks so they could

The stretch of canal which has already been restored at Pewsham. PHOTO: JUSTIN GUY

and wildflower meadows to boost biodiversity.

The charity has already restored more than a mile of the waterway between Pewsham and Lacock and aims to continue south to a new Melksham Link which would connect to the Kennet & Avon Canal via the River Avon.

Ray added: “We have lots of opportunities for people to join us, from fundraising and engineering to the physical activities such as work parties. Every hour of support is always appreciated.”

be reused. There was lots of interest from the public. The site is next to the towpath so people often stopped to ask what we were doing, and wanted to learn more about the charity.”

The completion of the waiting wall is one of several important projects along the Pewsham stretch of the canal.

Volunteers are also rebuilding the dry dock and the carpenters’ workshop – which will be used as a resource and learning centre for schools – while other groups are creating new woodland

The objective of the Wilts & Berks Canal Trust is to restore the waterway from the Kennet & Avon Canal near Melksham to the Thames & Severn Canal near Cricklade and the River Thames near Abingdon, connecting Chippenham, Calne, Royal Wootton Bassett and Swindon, with several sections already rebuilt.

Visit www.wbct.org.uk

Communication improvements bring great success THE successful reopening of the canal to Crickheath in June 2023 marked a big step forward in the Shropshire Union Canal Society’s quest to close the 'Shropshire Gap’; the unnavigable section of the Montgomery Canal between Crickheath and Llanymynech on the Welsh border.

At present, this section, which was abandoned in the 1930s, is generally derelict, but the course of the canal is already owned

by CRT. It will take much hard work and money to finally make the term Shropshire Gap, redundant.

Towards the end of 2022, it became obvious that the society’s approach to communications was becoming outdated, just as the canal network was the ‘web’ of the 19th century, the internet is now the main communication route for the 21st.

As part of the ‘legacy'’element of the Heritage Lottery Fund grant to the society, the Shropshire Union Canal Society was offered training in the use of modern internet media and a small team of volunteers took part. The resulting communication group now meets regularly and is intent on getting the message out through all possible means.

In the words of the society’s chairman, David Carter, “through these communications, the society is now able to show potential grant givers, and the world at large, that we are a professional

Tramway Wharf Wall, Crickheath. PHOTO: CBS

Monty’s Navigation Pale Ale generates a donation for every pint sold. PHOTO: CBSV outfit with the experience and expertise to deliver specified work on time and on budget. It also helps us tell our story to the public and make them aware of all the advantages of restoring canals in general – and of course, the Monty in particular”.

David listed some of the achievements of the volunteers in 2023 that the team has been bringing to the attention of a wider audience: • The success of the

restoration project to Crickheath, formally opened in June 2023 • Progress being made towards carrying out the next phase • Enhancement work along the canal in the Ellesmere area and the need for new volunteers to help • The launch of a major appeal by the Montgomery Waterway Restoration Trust with a target of £250,000 • Success in attracting grants from Oswestry Rural Parish Council, National Grid and the Association for Industrial Archaeology • Appointment by the Co-op in Oswestry as one of the 'local causes' that members can choose to receive distributions from the Co-op Local Community Fund raising about £1500 in the first year.

The pioneering partnership with Monty’s Brewery who have produced a new beer, Navigation Pale Ale, generates a donation for every pint sold. The success of this beer in pubs in the Shropshire Union area, raising around

£1000 in just a few months, has encouraged Monty’s to produce a bottled version, available via the company’s website: www. montysbrewery.co.uk The Shropshire Union Canal Society was formed in 1966, with a mission to protect and enhance the canals of the historic Shropshire Union system across both England and Wales. Over the years it has grown and developed, taking on bigger challenges as it matured into a professional organisation capable of working on complex engineering projects. Its technical and managerial skills were recognised by CRT some time ago and the society is now the prime contractor for the restoration of the canal from Crickheath to Schoolhouse Bridge and beyond.

If you feel you could contribute to the publicity team and the restoration in any way, please find out more at www.shropshireunion. org.uk

February 2024 NEWS 9

www.towpathtalk.co.uk

Characters of the Cut Richard and Fran Pike — Floating Our Boat

Continuous cruisers Fran and Richard Pike.

By Alice Elgie

WHEN waiting for retirement to live life to the full didn’t seem like an enticing option, Fran and Richard Pike decided to quit the good life in Norfolk.

They had worked as gardeners and sold home-grown and home-made produce both from their gate and at local markets but wanted to take their dreams of a quieter, slower, even simpler life, on to the water.

Fran shared: “It was a wonderful life in Norfolk, but we realised we were still working hard for other people and having watched our parents retire and then let their lives drift away, we didn’t want to do the same.”

Instead Richard and Fran wanted to work for themselves doing something they loved and enjoyed – their hobbies – even if it was at a much reduced income.

“Living a simpler, cheaper life meant that would be possible so when Rich started watching YouTube videos about boaters, on a whim we decided this might be our chance to be free.”

Within months they had sold their house, complete with big garden, made themselves homeless and found their first boat. “We never looked back,” Fran told me.

Now it’s their YouTube channel – Floating Our Boat – that is inspiring 36,000+ subscribers! “We started making videos about our lifestyle the minute we moved aboard and soon realised that lots of people were interested. Rich does nearly all the filming and editing and we try to show life as it is and not overdramatise it or make it out to be a bed of roses.”

It’s hard not to be enticed by their life on water, though, which does sound pretty idyllic, continuously cruising as they do aboard narrowboat Laura Maisie, a 58.5ft semi-trad stern boat built for them by Elton Moss three years ago.

Richard and Fran’s journeys have taken them to the historic Glory Hole on the River Witham in Lincoln.

PHOTOS SUPPLIED

Cards featuring Rich’s abstract landscapes. now has much more time and mainly concentrates on abstract landscape art in a variety of media. He gets so much inspiration from the scenery and views around us.”

Fran has found herself going deeper into the art of weaving. “I started weaving after Rich bought me my first Saori loom just after we bought our first boat. Saori weaving is a freeform weaving process which has no rules and allows me to create weavings using any colours, materials and textures which feel right.

“I have an ethical approach to the materials I use, concentrating on carefully sourced wool, natural fibres and recycled materials to make scarves, shawls, table runners, bookmarks and coasters.”

Fran has recently started spinning her own yarn using a

Creative projects

So far they have covered around 70% of the canal system. Fran continued: “At first, we were so excited that we cruised most days but now we’ve slowed right down and spend as long as we can in good locations enjoying the off-canal walks and villages.”

These longer stopping times no doubt allow the couple to indulge in their creative projects.

“Rich has had a keen interest in art since he was very young and would have loved to have attended art school, but because of the pressures of life was never able to explore it properly. He

simple drop spindle, which she tells me is a very slow process, but one that fits perfectly with their lifestyle. “This process gives me hours of quiet reflective time and also gives me an end product, so it’s a win-win!”

While space is a constant battle for two creatives living on a narrowboat, they make it work.

Fran told me: “On days when Rich is painting and I’m weaving there is not much room for our dogs, Archie and Jess!” But space is much improved since they upgraded from their first boat.

“Narrowboat Constanze was our trial boat and was a very basic 50ft trad. We had no fridge; the heating systems were basic and there was a tiny shower with a plastic curtain that clung to us as soon as the water was running!” Despite these hardships, Fran and Richard loved Constanze but after two years – and knowing they had taken to life on the water – they agreed it was time to upgrade their floating home.

Now cruising in greater comfort they enjoy the peace, quiet and variety of the canals and are passionate about sharing how this lifestyle has allowed them to flourish in their simple, slow life, although Fran is quick to point out that a simple life is not always an easy life – a fact I wholeheartedly agree with.

But, having lived aboard for six years this month, it seems it is a new good life by which they have certainly been captured!

Website: www.floatingourboat.com YouTube: @FloatingOurBoat Facebook: @floatingourboat Instagram: @floatingourboat

Fran models one of her woven shawls.

Alice Elgie is a writer and also creator of the online community Slow Into The Seasons, along with a podcast of the same name.

In these spaces she muses about living a slower, simpler life. slowintotheseasons. substack.com / Slow Into The Seasons on Spotify

Solar Technology International Panels When they are gone they’re gone 1475 x 665 x 4mm Part no STPVF150R rear connected panels High quality solar cell : Polly UK CA marked and CE marked 150watt (+5%) With durable none slip coating This is a one off opportunity to buy these panels at a Trade Price.

Individual price

£225.00 inc vat Bulk box of 5

£1060.00 inc vat Regulators also in stock!

These solar panels are a perfect match for our market leading Vetus Eline Kits.

Booth Lane, Middlewich, Cheshire CW10 0JJ Telephone 01606 737564

10 NEWS February 2024

www.towpathtalk.co.uk

Lifesaving kit at canal locks THE Hillmorton volunteer lock keepers, along with the unwavering support of the locks’ residents and businesses, have successfully installed a public access defibrillator.

A project conceived with the goal of improving the survival rate following a sudden cardiac arrest, this vision has become a reality.

The defibrillator is ready to serve the needs of the community in times of cardiac emergencies.

A bleed control kit has also been installed.

Thanks go to Prova Investments, Bromwich Hardy, Utility Mapping, Top Marks Electrical, Warwickshire Fire Service and the Our Jay Foundation for their kind guidance and advice.

A spokesman for Hillmorton volunteer lock keepers said: “Their support has been

Making light work of removing felled trees. PHOTOS: GCS

instrumental in bringing this project to fruition.

Their commitment to the project has made a lasting impact, and we are sincerely grateful to them all.

“We are a small group who volunteer for the Canal & River Trust and spend our days alongside the canal helping boaters as they travel through the locks. As well as a lending hand to boaters and welcoming visitors we look after the general upkeep and undertake small projects to improve the amenity.”

Lead volunteer with the trust Taryn Marriott added: “It’s a fantastic achievement for our amazing volunteer lock keepers and I would also like to thank them for their hard work over the course of the year.”

Draught horse works on Grantham Canal

GRANTHAM Canal Society volunteers were in for a treat when Donk, the Belgian draught horse, arrived to help remove logs from Lock 13.

Jonathan Booty, from Park Farm Horse Logging, was signing up to volunteer with the society when he spotted a unique opportunity to get involved.

“After a warm welcome at the Woolsthorpe Depot, I decided to take a walk down to see the preparation work at Lock 13,” Jonathan explained.

“I spoke to Tony Osbond, general manager, and offered the assistance of a draught horse to remove felled trees.”

The use of draught horses has a much lower impact on the natural environment than modern forestry techniques.

The Grantham Canal Society in Lincolnshire was very keen

to work on the canal using the same methods as when it was originally built, and Donk now

Draught horse Donk at work with volunteers beside the Grantham Canal.

has many admirers among the society’s volunteers!

“The old ways are quite often the best. What an amazing animal,” said Mark Poyser, member and volunteer.

Colin Bryan, who volunteered alongside Donk on the day, was very impressed with how easy he made it look.

“We can’t wait to have him join us again. He’s a solid worker and certainly made our job easier!” he enthused.

Donk, ably assisted by Pete Woodman, made light work of clearing the logs and Lock 13 is now ready for the next phase of renovation.

Volunteer work parties will be required five days a week during the next stage, so if you would like to find out more, email volunteer@granthamcanal.org for details.

Boat club splashes the cash for canal charity

Presenting the cheque to Tim Marren, CEO of the Peter Le Marchant Trust, is Santa – Swarkestone Boat Club chairman Paul Harrington with, left, the Dinosaur – Charlie Elston. PHOTO SUPPLIED SWARKESTONE Boat Club in Derbyshire ran a series of fundraising events during 2023 and kindly donated more than £1000 to

the Peter Le Marchant Trust. This will support the work of the charity in providing day trips and holidays on local waterways for people

living with physical and mental disabilities.

Peter Le Marchant Trust CEO Tim Marren said: “We really appreciate the work

and commitment of the Swarkestone Boat Club and all their efforts over 2023 to raise funds to support our charity.”

Hillmorton volunteer lock keepers with the newly installed defibrillator. PHOTO SUPPLIED

Canal boat charity commended in tourism awards THE Peter Le Marchant Trust achieved a Commended award in the Best Day Out category at the Leicestershire Hospitality & Tourism Awards, held at the Athena Leicester events venue.

This is a new category for the award scheme, which was celebrating its 30-year anniversary.

The Peter Le Marchant Trust’s chairman, Caroline Phillips, attended with her husband Dennis. “Being recognised for a Best Day Out award is a remarkable achievement for the trust, especially when you consider the National Space Centre was runner-up in this category and the Great Central Railway was the winner,” she said.

“It’s thanks to the trust’s amazing staff, crew and volunteers who always aim to give everyone who visits their ‘best day out’.”

The Best Day Out award was sponsored by Visit Leicester, with all 14 nominees voted for by the public, which made the trust’s nomination even more special.

Caroline and Dennis Phillips at the awards evening. PHOTO SUPPLIED

February 2024 NEWS 11

www.towpathtalk.co.uk

PART OF MIDDLEWICH CANAL CENTRE

D OL S AT BO

Aqueduct 7 which carries the Monmouthshire & Brecon Canal and towpath over the Nant Onneu. PHOTO: CRT

Aqueduct project helps migrating fish to spawn

THE Canal & River Trust in Wales, Glandŵr Cymru, has completed a four-month project at Llangattock to repair a 225-year-old stone aqueduct.

Work was needed on Aqueduct 7 which carries the Monmouthshire & Brecon Canal and towpath over the Nant Onneu – a tributary of the River Usk – to repair the structure’s masonry and foundations. This is because of the gradual erosion caused by centuries of river water scouring the stone manmade arched aqueduct.

The trust needed to raise £400,000 to fund the work which, while safeguarding the aqueduct and the canal, also included working with Natural

Resources Wales to make ecological improvements to the riverbed of the Nant Onneu.

This will help prevent future erosion and benefit fish such as European eels and brown trout, which migrate up the river each spring to spawn.

Over the centuries, the abrasive force of the river water on the canal aqueduct had also reprofiled the riverbed, causing it to drop and making it difficult for fish to migrate.

So, while completing the heritage repairs to the aqueduct, the trust and its partners installed boulders to slow future erosion and to create stepped pools to make it easier for fish on their migratory journey upstream.

Paul Kelly, from Glandŵr Cymru, said: “The aqueduct is a wonderful example of the legacy left by our industrial forefathers. The work we've been able to do on the aqueduct will ensure this crucial link in the 35-mile canal is kept safe today and here for generations to come.

“In addition to securing the future of the canal we’ve made improvements that will help fish migrate up the Nant Onneu, improving nature and biodiversity. We’d like to thank colleagues at Natural Resources Wales who have worked with us on these improvements and the support of local people who helped with access to the remote site.”

Boats Wanted!

We’re having a busy time for boat sales and as a result we now need more boats to sell Call for details

Tel: 01270 760 799 Boatfinder Brokerage Services

@BoatfinderBS

Middlewich Canal Centre is home to the following family of companies

New members elected to CRT council THE Canal & River Trust has announced the results of the voting to elect new representatives to its council.

Each elected candidate will take up their voluntary post for four years from March 1, 2024, when the term of existing elected council members comes to an end.

The elected council representatives are as follows: private boating: Penelope Barber, Fiona Burt, Rosie Strickland, Scott Martin; business boating: Paul Donnelly, Lucy Waldron; trust volunteers: Nigel Branston, Trevor Clark; Friends of the Trust: Brian Williams; trust employees: Aaron Atwal. New members include Towpath Talk columnist David Kent, who was elected unopposed in the Fisheries & Angling constituency.

The council, which meets twice a year, consists of up to 50 volunteer members who reflect the wide appeal of the trust’s network – from boating and angling through to walking and well-being. It includes a mix of elected and independently nominated individuals.

Members are responsible for the appointment of trustees, providing guidance

and perspective from different stakeholders, and acting as a sounding board for the trustees in relation to the development of proposals and strategy.

The council is chaired by the trust board chairman, David Orr, who said: “I’m pleased to welcome the new council members and look forward to working with them in the future.

“The calibre of candidates was extremely high, and I’d like to thank all those who put themselves forward. It was also heartening to see that the voter turnout was higher than during the last elections, demonstrating the engagement of boaters, volunteers, Friends and colleagues.

“The recent storms have vividly demonstrated the scale of challenge we face in safeguarding the future of our 250-year-old network in the face of a real-terms reduction in public funding.

“Our canals offer huge benefits for the nation and I’m excited to hear the many new ideas and fresh perspectives our new council members may have to share, so we can continue the renaissance of the past few decades.”

You can find all of our companies at Kings Lock Boatyard, Middlewich. CW10 0JJ

WWW.CANALCENTRE.COM

12 IWA ROUND-UP

February 2024

www.towpathtalk.co.uk

AROUNDTHE COUNTRY WITH IWA’S AMYTILLSON

Leisure boaters closer to using subsidised biofuel

A SUBSIDISED biofuel, which will help decarbonise the waterways, has been given the green light for more widespread use on leisure boats by the UK Government.

The DfT (Department for Transport) provided written clarification over the Renewable Transport Fuel Certificates (RTFC) subsidy after the HVO Joint Working Party – representing IWA, RYA and the Cruising Association – met with DfT officials in Westminster in November 2023.

Bowman Bradley, chairman of the Joint Working Party and IWA's Sustainable Boating Group, said: “We are delighted that the DfT appears to have recognised the problems that the leisure boating sector faces and taken this important first step towards resolving them.”

Leisure boaters looking to reduce their carbon footprint while cruising will be able to take greater advantage of a government-managed subsidy on hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO), after DfT agreed that the benefit can apply to fuel used for onboard domestic purposes, as well as for the propulsion of vessels.

The move will narrow the price gap between HVO and mineral diesel. It will also mean that it will be easier for suppliers to market HVO to the leisure boating sector in the future as they will not have to establish what proportions of the fuel will be used for domestic and propulsion purposes on the vessel, a requirement complicated by the fact that most leisure vessels have only one fuel tank.

HVO is a biodiesel alternative to FAME – a first generation biodiesel currently being added to fuel supplied to the leisure boating industry and to road diesel. The addition of 7% FAME biodiesel to mineral diesel (B7) is resulting in fuel unsuited to a marine environment, causing regular boat engine failures due to blockages in vital fuel injection components.

However, the Sustainable Boating Group warned that even with the new measures, there will still be a significant price gap between HVO and mineral diesel. The Joint Working Party will continue to work with government to seek to make HVO affordable to the leisure boater to allow the sector, and the existing fleet in particular, to transition away from fossil fuels.

This will also then resolve the safety issues associated with using B7 diesel in a marine environment, particularly in craft that cruise challenging waters.

Bowman added: “We look forward to continuing the dialogue with the DfT, and other relevant government departments, to find a complete solution. In this way we can significantly transition the leisure boating sector away from fossil fuels and eliminate the engine failures associated with B7 diesel.

“If you are in the middle of the Trent & Mersey Canal it is just an expensive inconvenience but on the tidal Trent, in a fast-flowing estuary or two miles off the coast in a Force 8 it becomes a problem.”

WRG’s 2024 canal camps programme is now live!

IWA’s Waterway Recovery Group has launched its summer programme of working holidays called ‘canal camps’.

These week-long getaways mean that you can help restore the derelict waterways of England and Wales.

This year, volunteers will support 11 different canal restoration projects and undertake a range of work over 17 weeks. For example, you could help build a new traditional-style brick arch bridleway bridge on the Wey & Arun Canal, rebuild a ‘bullnose’ and help reinstate a section of the Manchester, Bolton & Bury Canal, which has been closed since a disastrous breach in 1936, or create a flood storage compensation area by the River Erewash, on the Cromford Canal, using dumpers and excavators.

The programme also includes the BCN Cleanup on March 16-17– an opportunity to have fun and meet new people while clearing shopping trolleys, tyres, bicycles and even more exciting treasures from the Birmingham Navigations.

Please be aware that some camps are particularly popular and they might get fully booked very quickly – if you would

This year’s programme:

CC2024-09

Lancaster Canal CC2024-01 FULLY BOOKED

Cotswold Canals JRL (week 2) CC2024-11

February 10-17

March 28-April 2

Montgomery Canal (Tue-Thu) CC2024-02 FULLY BOOKED June 29-July 6

Wey & Arun Canal Rooks Bridge (NWPG) Canal CC2024-03 July 6-13:

Manchester Bolton & Bury Canal (week 1) CC2024-04 Wey & Arun Canal Rooks Bridge (KESCRG) Canal (week 2) CC2024-05

EAST February 4 and 20 IWA Northampton Branch: Work

parties are usually held one weekday and one Sunday a month, along the Arm,

Louth Navigation CC2024-12 Cotswold Canals JRL (week 3) CC2024-13 Aug 17-24

Lapal Canal CC2024-14 Cotswold Canals Weymoor Bridge (week 1) CC2024-15 Aug 24-31

July 13-20 July 20-27

Wey & Arun Canal Bonfire Hanger Towpath (week 2) CC2024-18

Manchester Bolton & Bury Canal (week 2) CC2024-06 Cromford Canal CC2024-07 July 27-Aug 3

Cotswold Canals JRL(week 1) like to join in, then do not delay!

Young people can also complete the residential part of their Duke of Edinburgh’s Gold Award at the canal camps, get in

PLEASE contact the branch to register an interest if you would like to attend one of these work parties. It is advisable to wear stout shoes and old clothing and take a waterproof. You may want to take a packed lunch and refreshments.

Manchester Bolton & Bury Canal Society at their regular work site, Prestolee Road, Little Lever, Bolton, BL3 1AD. Contact: Barry McGuinness 07875 999825.

Aug 10-17

Wey & Arun Canal Bonfire Hanger Towpath (week 1) CC2024-16 Cotswold Canals Weymoor Bridge (week 2) CC2024-17

Get involved – work party dates

NORTH February 17-18 IWA Manchester Branch: Working with

Aug 3-10

10am-2pm. The tasks usually include vegetation clearance, weeding, litter picking and painting at locks. Contact: Geoff Wood at geoff.wood@waterways. org.uk for details.

WEST Tuesdays & Saturdays IWA West Country Branch (Taunton & Bridgwater): Work parties in the

Somerset area, 10am-1pm. Contact: Mike Slade at mike.slade@waterways. org.uk; 07977 263840.

Aug 31-Sep 7 Oct 19-26

Dudley No 2 (Coombeswood) Canal CC2024-19 touch to fund out more.

WRG Leadership Training Day and WRG Training Weekend will also open for booking shortly – do not forget to check IWA’s website/ social media for any updates.

The waterways of today would not exist without IWA and the work of its dedicated members and volunteers who, over many years, ensured that canals and rivers were saved and enhanced.

IWA’s Waterway Recovery Group has helped restore waterways by running canal camps, our week-long working holidays, and weekend digs on restoration sites, as well as by providing training for restoration volunteers.

Over 500 miles of the UK’s waterways have been saved from dereliction since IWA was founded in 1946. Many more miles are gradually being brought back to life thanks to the work of IWA and WRG volunteers as well as the extraordinary hard work and dedication of restoration groups all over the country.

Challenge to Broads navigation charge increase IWA has submitted a representation to the secretary of state regarding the toll increases imposed on boaters on Broads Authority navigations.

In December 2023, the Broads Hire Boat Federation launched a challenge, under the Harbours Act, against the Broads Authority’s decision to increase tolls by 13% in 2023. As part of this process interested parties were invited to submit representations to the Department for Transport to assist with the decision.

The Norfolk and Suffolk Broads have National Park status, but navigation is integral to their character, bringing economic, environmental and societal benefits to the region. Consequently, maintaining the safety of navigators and funding adequate maintenance is crucial. Unlike other major inland navigation authorities, the Broads Authority does not receive government funding for navigation maintenance and relies solely on toll revenue.

In the letter to the secretary of state IWA expressed concern over the toll increases but acknowledged the challenges faced due to inflation and climate change. Climate change, in

A Broads cruiser and sailing dinghy. PHOTO: MARTIN HAYDEN particular, has significantly impacted the Broads, necessitating increased resources for maintenance and safety provisions.

However boatyards and private boat owners are finding these toll rises difficult. The toll hikes have led to a decline in boat movement, posing a threat to the essential character of the Broads and potentially degrading its National Park status.

IWA urged government to recognise the necessity of financial support to ensure the continued maintenance of navigation and preservation of the Broads’ character. Appropriate provision would enable tolls to be kept affordable and boats to continue as a defining feature of the Broads.

Threatened closure of Neath Canal access IWA is concerned that a funding cut could lead to the Neath Canal being entirely closed off to public access.

It has expressed deep concerns at the plans announced by the local authority in a recent consultation.

In a letter to the leader of the council, chairman of IWA’s Navigation Committee, Sue O’Hare, urged Neath Port Talbot Council to recognise the value of public access to the whole length of the Neath Canal and to work with the private owner to ensure the continued benefits that use of this valuable asset brings to the community.

Much of the Neath Canal is owned by property developers St Modwen, to which the council pays an annual fee to maintain public access. The council has suggested that it could save £135,000 by terminating access agreements.

IWA’s letter draws attention to the association's

About canal camps

recent report Waterways for Today which demonstrates the benefits of inland waterways and highlights 12 specific themes.

It also refers to the recent article Waterways at Risk in the Local Government Association’s First Magazine, written by Sir Robert Atkins, IWA trustee, former waterways minister and MEP. The benefits and importance of the towpath as a local amenity are recognised in the council’s Rights of Way Improvement Plan.

There have also been unsuccessful attempts, dating back since 1990, to get the towpaths of both the Neath and Tennant canals recognised as public rights of way.

The 13.5-mile (21.7 km) Neath Canal stretches from Pontneddfechan to Neath and has 19 locks. Use for navigation purposes ceased in the 1930s, but restoration was proposed

Canal camps are a great experience for anyone who loves being outdoors and enjoys meeting new people from different backgrounds and of different ages.

Experience is a bonus but isn’t necessary; camps offer a fantastic chance to learn new skills such as: bricklaying, stone walling, machine operation and heritage restoration techniques.

Volunteers work together and make a real difference over the course of the week. They leave with a sense of pride, knowing that they have helped to bring a waterway back to life.

Volunteer Ju said: “I love the work and seeing the progress and difference we make on so many canals. I also love the social side and

in 1974 with the formation of Neath and Tennant Canals Preservation Society (now Neath and Tennant Canals Trust).

More recently the Ty Banc Canal Group was formed to work on the northern part of the canal while from 1974 to 1990 the northern section from Resolven to Ysgwrfa benefited from job creation schemes run by the Manpower Services Commission and Youth Training Scheme.

By 1990 there were 3.5 miles (5.6km) of navigable canal, including seven restored locks and a slipway at Resolven Basin.

It received a 1998 Europa Nostra award for the quality of the work, and a Civic Trust Award in 1992.

The £4 million project was jointly funded by the Welsh Office and the Prince of Wales Trust. At one time, there were two trip boats on the canal, but both have ceased operating.

the fantastic family you all become!”

Will added: “One of my favourite parts of the week was the frequent involvement with copious amounts of mud and the things lurking in it!

I would definitely be returning for another camp and would recommend that anyone else considering it should go for it wholeheartedly.”

For those who have never been involved in a WRG canal camp before, check the website at waterways. org.uk for general information.

We welcome volunteers whose skills may differ and whose age may vary considerably but please note accommodation is basic and participants will share a room with up to 16 other volunteers – do not forget your own sleeping bag, camp bed or inflatable mattress!

13

www.towpathtalk.co.uk February 2024

Marine Breakdown Assistance 10% off membership for new subscriptions, go to our website to subscribe using the code FFYRZ63I

24/7 across the UK Inland Waterways.

• NO callout or hourly charges.

• NO restrictions on age, make or size of your boat.

• Home start • Crew relay • Breakdown assistance • Boat recovery A £30 surcharge applies to all callouts within the M25

JOIN TODAY! ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP FROM

ONLY

£75

rts Cover *Replacement Pa cified parts including

Covers a huge range of spe gs, starters, gearbox & drive plate, couplin e.** mor y man and ors rnat alte

*Excluding Retainer Cover, RPC can be added for £75. **Excludes Consumables such as cables, filters, rubber components and the like that require routine wear and tear replacement.

01785 785 680 | www.rivercanalrescue.co.uk

Ditch the map, it’s on the app!

Covering all UK waterways Route planning Request RCR advice or Assistance Offline access to all POI’s

FREE APP

14 FREIGHT

February 2024

David with his two short boats, Wye and Irwell, unloading grain for BOCM. David in charge of his tripboat, Apollo, as mentioned in Part 1 of his story.

High and Lowe: an inland waterways melody – Part 2

Jonathan Mosse’s monthly look at freight developments on the inland waterways.

ORGANIST, chorister, railwayman and commercial barge owner, David Lowe is nothing if not eclectic! Last month we shared in David’s early career, visiting his first brush with the waterways, following a giddy rise to musical fame.

We pick up the story again in 1974 at the celebrations surrounding the bicentenary of Bingley Five-Rise locks, on the Leeds & Liverpool Canal (L&L) where David’s first commercial carrying vessel – the short boat Wye – is loaded with limestone, shipped at Gargrave. Pictures of the event managed with a touch so light that, as David remarks, today’s proponents of H&S would have had a fit, show Wye centre stage surrounded by a crowd of some 10,000 visitors.

Grain from Liverpool to Manchester came next, following a chance meeting on a canal holiday with the transport

manager of BOCM. This started out at 30 tons but soon became 45 tons!

Then it was granite, loaded at Mountsorrel on the River Soar, before moving south in 1976 to initiate the highly successful Thurmaston-Syston aggregate run which lasted through to 1996, operated by a succession of short boats, narrowboats and finally tugs and pans, by far the most elegant solution in David’s opinion.

Meanwhile, he had purchased the ex-BW widebeam trip boat Water Prince, which was further converted at Thorne. Shipley and Saltaire remained the focus for his fare-paying cargo and, as a newly employed Nicholson writer and researcher, I can well remember my initial confusion, confronted by bus stop signs, spaced out at regular intervals along the Shipley towpath!

This was David’s waterbus venture in full swing, operating in conjunction with his nearby restaurant, a railway career, and what was to become a five-year contract running grain screenings from Selby across the summit of the L&L. Not to mention his aforementioned, and extremely unobtrusive fluvial activities at Thurmaston!

It was sometime around now that David discovered his gift for selling and, in the late 70s, he became an agent working for the Flixborough Shipping Company. With his focus now on the Trent, he acquired the barge Charles Williams, carrying aggregate from Besthorpe and went on to purchase Irwell (another short boat) which was pressed into service moving effluent from Leeds to Goole, courtesy of a fiveton tank loosely fitted into the hold!

This vessel was somewhat rapidly replaced by a proper tanker barge – Everton – which, with a payload of 56 tons, is reputed to be the largest load ever carried on the east end of the L&L. Had music not intervened (see last month’s freight piece Part 1) David was bound for a railway career, having hung around Saltaire station as a child, generally making himself useful to the point where, by 13, he was selling tickets!

SUBSCRIBE TODAY

From there he migrated (unofficially) to Shipley signalbox.

Following the ‘organ hiatus’ he found himself applying for a vacancy in the ’box at the Shipley/Bingley Junction and, to cut a long (railway) story short, wound up as inspector of signalboxes in the North East – a 167-mile-long spread, running from Doncaster through to the Scottish Border – via the roles of signalman, signal manager and the signal inspectorate.

Somehow he managed to dovetail his railway career into his canal-carrying activities, the two operating in parallel until he reached a senior level, finally

www.towpathtalk.co.uk

prompting the sale of Apollo. Today he is a director of Humber Barges, a company that operates two aggregate barges on the commercial canals of the North East.

As a director, David is no longer involved in the company on a day-today basis, which frees up space in his retirement for Commercial Boat Operators Association (CBOA) activities and allows him to give his time and experience to CRT in an advisory role sitting, as he does, on the Freight Steering Group for the north-east waterways.

He’s the first to admit that without the reliable and dedicated help of the skippers in his employ, keeping so many balls in the air would have been impossible.

Central to this was Captain Tim Dainty who was pivotal in the working of David’s motley fleet for many years.

Of course, today he’s also never far away from one of the mighty Wurlitzer organs, either at the keyboard or wrestling with its complex innards. He travels widely, both to give concerts and to keep his charges in tune, while still devoting a considerable amount of his time to CBOA-related business.

To learn more about the Leeds & Liverpool short boats visit https://www. leedsandliverpoolcanalsociety.co.uk/ boats-of-the-canal

David with nb Swallow at Onley Fields: cruising for pleasure and not for profit! PHOTOS: SUPPLIED

Get 12 issues of Towpath Talk delivered to your door from just £20 a year. THAT’S £1.67£1.16 JUSTJUST £1.16 A COPY THAT’S A COPY

CALL 01507 529529 LINES OPEN WEEKDAYS 8.30AM TO 5PM OR VISIT WWW.CLASSICMAGAZINES.CO.UK SUBSCRIPTION FORM

FEBRUARY 2020 2024 FEBRUARY

To subscribe to TPT simply complete the form below and return to: TPT Subscriptions, PO Box 99, Horncastle, Lincs LN9 6LZ

Payment method 1.

One Year (UK)

£20 (Direct Debit)

Other payment options: UK (One Year) EU (One Year) Rest of World (One Year)

£28 (Credit/Debit Card/Cheque) £35 (Credit/Debit Card/Cheque) £42 (Credit/Debit Card/Cheque)

Payer’s details (must be completed)

FROM ONLY

£20 £14

A YEAR

Mr / Mrs / Miss / Ms (please circle) First name

DIRECT DEBIT

Instruction to Bank/Building Society to pay by Direct Debit: I would like to change/take out a subscription for £20 per annum (UK only) Account in the name of Account number

Sort code

Name of Bank/Building Society Address

Surname

Email

Postcode

Telephone

Please pay Mortons Media Group Ltd direct debits from the account detailed in the instructions, subject to the safeguards of the Direct Debit Guarantee. I understand that this instruction may remain with Mortons Media Group and, if so, details will be passed electronically to my Bank/Building Society. Originator’s ID number: 830390

Mobile

Year of Birth

Address

Signature Postcode

2. DEBIT/CREDIT CARD Please debit my: Visa

Delivery details (if different to above) Mr / Mrs / Miss / Ms (please circle) First name

Date

Reference number (office use only) Mastercard

Switch/Maestro

Card number:

Surname

Address

Start date Postcode

To view our full privacy policy please visit www.mortonsmediagroup/privacy.htm, you will be able to unsubscribe from communications at any time

3 digit verification code Signature 3.

/

Expiry date Switch issue number Date

CHEQUE I enclose a cheque made payable to Mortons Media Group Ltd

/

FAMILY HISTORY 15

www.towpathtalk.co.uk February 2024

Exploring your canal ancestry: museums Nicola Lisle continues her family history series by looking at how museums can help with your research.

ANYONE who has been following my series on inland waterways museums in Towpath Talk will have seen how these museums bring the stories of our canals and rivers to life and evoke the age of the great canal revolution.

Local and national archives can help put names and dates on your family tree, and establish family connections, but it is museums that give a real sense of how our canal ancestors lived and how their lives were shaped by contemporary events and attitudes.

Waterways museums are an obvious starting point for exploring canal history – particularly major ones such as the National Waterways museums at Gloucester and Ellesmere Port, the Canal Museum at Stoke Bruerne, the London Canal Museum and the London Docklands Museum.

These typically include old narrowboats, examples of canal art, tools used by the boatmen and dock workers, and numerous other objects of interest, as well as historic boats moored outside.

At the London Canal Museum you can climb aboard the narrowboat Coronis to experience the cramped, claustrophobic conditions of a working boat, while at other museums, such as Stoke Bruerne

John King, one of the historic boats moored outside the M-Shed, Bristol. and Gloucester, you have to peer into the boat to get an idea of what it was like for those who lived on board.

Treasure troves

It’s not just waterways museums that can help in your research, though – county, town and village museums in areas relevant to your ancestors are also worth exploring. Many of these feature a wide range of artefacts relating to the area, and this is likely to include any local canals and rivers.

In fact, local museums can prove to be treasure troves for the family historian. Often started by enthusiasts who wanted to save domestic and industrial items that might otherwise have been lost forever, they offer an extra dimension to family research, illustrating people’s lives in a way that archives cannot.

Many have evolved over several decades or more into a unique record of their local area with an extensive collection of historic objects, photographs,

The London Docklands Museum.

paintings, drawings, books, letters, diaries and posters, often relying on local volunteers for donations.

Canal-related artefacts are obviously of primary interest to canal family historians, but other items reflecting local life are of interest too, helping to place the local canals into geographical, historical and social contexts.

At Banbury Museum in Oxfordshire, for example, there is a gallery focusing on the building of the Oxford Canal, but elsewhere in the museum you can see how the arrival of the canal boosted the town’s local industries.

The Canal Museum, Stoke Bruerne. PHOTOS: NICOLA LISLE

Oral histories

Many museum displays are enhanced with archive film footage, oral histories, audio tours, interactive objects and activities for children.

It is also worth noting that museums often have far more in their collections than they can display, so the permanent galleries may vary from time to time.

Many museums have online catalogues, and it is always worth searching or browsing through these to see if there is anything held in storage connected to your ancestor, or to check whether a particular item is on display or not. It is usually possible to make an appointment for you to view items held in storage.

Most county online catalogues cover the collections across all their museums, and this is

Artefacts on display at Tooley’s Boatyard, Banbury. extremely helpful and can save a lot of time!

If you search for canals in Warwick District Council’s Windows on Warwickshire archive, for example, you will see that it holds a large collection of photographs and watercolours of the Oxford, Grand Union, Coventry and Stratford canals at museums across Warwickshire, including in Nuneaton, Leamington Spa and Warwick,

as well as those that are held in local archives.

Museums also regularly mount themed exhibitions as an opportunity to give some of their stored items an airing, so it’s worth keeping an eye on their websites – or subscribing to a newsletter or mailing list, if available – to check for these and other future events, such as canal-related talks, workshops, historical re-enactments and festivals.

Finally, museum libraries can be a valuable resource.

Some are quite extensive and typically hold current and out-of-print books as well as old journals, newspapers, magazines and cuttings.

You may be lucky enough to find your ancestors mentioned in any of these, especially if the family was well-known locally – such as the Tooley family in Banbury, and the Nurser family in Braunston – but if not, you should still be able to gain some useful insights into your ancestors’ lives.

VISIT US AT BOATLIFE 15TH - 18TH FEBRUARY NEC, BIRMINGHAM

BOATLIFE OFFER

STAND E201

FREE

INLAND ZONE

FOR ALL NARROWBOAT OWNERS THAT VISIT OUR STAND AT BOATLIFE*

INDEPENDENT, FAMILY RUN, 5 GOLD

1 SLIPWAY OR 1 WEEK MOORING

ANCHOR MARINA LOCATED ON THE MIDDLEWICH BRANCH OF THE SHROPSHIRE UNION CANAL

T’s and C’s: Narrowboats only. Contact details must be provided. Cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer. Offer must be redeemed by 30th November 2024.

Must be booked at least one week in advance of expected arrival. New bookings only. This offer is at the discretion of Aqueduct Marina.

16

February 2024

www.towpathtalk.co.uk

WHAT’S ON 17

www.towpathtalk.co.uk February 2024

Inland adventures await at BoatLife 2024

THE spotlight will shine on the vibrant Inland Zone at BoatLife 2024 at the NEC Birmingham from February 15-18.

This popular annual event kick-starts the season, uniting the entire boating community.

As an ultimate celebration of the boating lifestyle, this is an excellent opportunity to discover the latest and most innovative inland models, along with a diverse array of relevant equipment and accessories.

Take time to enter an unforgettable journey into the heart of the UK’s waterways, soaking up the picturesque beauty of our canals, rivers and broads. Alongside the inland exhibits, there will be dedicated zones covering power and RIB, angling and watersports, with the indoor activity pool hosting

demos and a selection of fun, free have-a-go sessions.

The Inland Zone is sponsored

by Elite Dynamics and HPi VS and there will be a display of more than 18 boats, highlighting both contemporary and traditional designs. A programme of ambassadors will include Adam Lind – Floating Home, David Johns – Cruising the Cut and Elizabeth Earle – Earlewrites.

From experienced boaters through to novices starting their waterways journey, this area will be a hotspot to pick up expert tips, view equipment and gain handy information, as well as connecting with likeminded individuals. A number of ambassadors will also be joining the popular Live Stage to deliver their knowledge in insightful talks.

A busy scene outside the popular Rose & Crown pub at BoatLife.

Toilets, Tanks, Hoses, Clips, Gauges, Deck Fittings, Vent Filters and everything you need plus Advice & Guidance

Heads above the rest on the water ...

Stand No: E78

sales@leesan.com T: 01295 770000

L TD

IN ING S W O LE D G N B EA TIN LA L A AI RY CO AV ST IC U D AM IN ER C

on stand no E190

This is a chance to explore more than 125 exhibitors and the largest selection of boats in the UK under one roof. Organisers say this year’s show will be bigger and better and will offer a great day out for all ages.

BoatLife 2024 is an immersive experience that ensures inland boaters can find the correct fit for their future adventures and provides an ideal platform to discover the right craft and equipment tailored to suit individual needs.

So why not bring the kids (or grandkids), seeing as it’s half term, for a day filled with exciting activities, and don’t miss the family-friendly features that promise to add extra fun to your boating adventure – plus under16s get in free of charge!

Exhibitors will include: Collingwood, Tingdene Marinas, Val Wyatt, ABC Leisure, Lakeland Leisure, The Salcombe Boat Company, Waterlodge, Engines Plus, Beta Marine, Lynch Motor Company, Aquaduct Marinas, Canal & River Trust, Accessible Waterways Association, UK Marine Services, Channel Glaze, Elite Marinas, Barrus Shire, Cauldwell Windows, ABNB Boat Brokerage, Bray Marine, Midland Chandlers, Staniland Marinas, Vetus, Webasto & Hempel (Kingslock Chandlery) and Lee Sanitation. www.boatlifeevents.com

Only LeeSan truly specialise in toilets

S W O D IN W K A E R B L A M R E QUALITY TH

Channelglaze Ltd continue to improve living conditions for live aboard boaters with our thermally broken aluminium boat window. An elegant and well-crafted product that provides boaters with a more comfortable and energy efficient boat.

Telephone: 0121 706 5777 Email: enquiry@channelglaze.com

WWW.CHANNELGLAZE.COM

18 BRAUNSTON

February 2024

www.towpathtalk.co.uk

A tribute to Sue Day A leading campaigner for horseboating on the inland waterways leaves a fascinating legacy.

By Tim Coghlan

WITH the death of Sue Day, it could mean the end of an era for some of the endeavours to revive and maintain horseboating on the waterways.

This revival came following the founding of the IWA (Inland Waterways Association) in 1946 and its determination to preserve canal heritage in all its forms and wherever possible. While there were several other outstanding horseboating campaigners, including Jenny Roberts with her boat Iona on the River Wey,

Sue leaving Nelson Lock with her horse towing the butty Kildare in June 2013.

PHOTO: TIM COGHLAN

Sue was one of the most active for more than 40 years – from about 1980 until her last recorded sighting at the IWA Festival of Water in 2021.

Horse-drawn commercial carrying started in the earliest days of the canals in the 1760s.

Having survived some 170 years as the main propulsion for narrowboats, it then died out in little more than a decade in the late 1920s to early 30s. This was due to the introduction of various diesel and semi-diesel engines, which had been adapted to the propulsion of narrowboats.

In little more than a decade, new ‘motors’ were being built by the likes of Yarwoods and Harland & Wolff, while a number of existing butties were converted into ‘motors’ – a practice developed by Nursers at what is today Braunston Marina, and at other yards.

The final straw was the demise of steam tunnel tugs at Braunston and Blisworth in 1936, due to the much reduced number of engineless boats now needing a tow. For the boatmen not able to make the change, it was back to tunnel legging or begging a tow from a boatman who had done so.

By the end of the Second World War, there were only a handful of

Sue Day with two of her boat horses at the 2019 Braunston Historic Boat Rally. PHOTO: GRAHAM SCOTHERN horse-drawn boats left. But the new IWA was keen to promote canal heritage in its many forms, including horse-drawn boats.

These were mainly focused on tripper boats, which were an excellent way of introducing newcomers to the waterways.

Court challenge

Part of the IWA’s brief was to fight the attempts by the British Waterways Board (BWB) to ban horses from the towpaths, which ironically had been built to take them. BWB argued that it did not have the funds to maintain the

towpaths to the standard needed to take horses. Anyway horsedrawn boats were getting in the way of anglers – an important source of revenue to BWB – even though the anglers themselves responded by saying they actually didn’t mind the horses.

It all got very nasty, and in 1982 BWB was challenged in court by an operator over its attempt to ban horse-drawn boats on the Ashby Canal. The case seized the public’s imagination, causing a national outcry that led to questions being asked in Parliament, and even an editorial in The Times questioning just what BWB was up to.

BWB had to back-pedal, and agree to allow horse-drawn boats, and this position has since remained unchanged, although sadly the horses have now all but gone.

It was about this time, in the early 1980s, that Sue

became involved with horsedrawn boating which she was then to tirelessly champion, a crusade that proved to cover almost the remainder of her life.

The only child of well-off parents who gave her a good education, Sue was brought up to speak what was then termed ‘the Queen’s English’.

Her background allowed her, in her very modest way, to lead the life of her choice, indulging in her passion for horses, which she lived for. Some of these she had bred and trained herself – Tanner, Queenie, Bonny and Bilbo Baggins.

Certainly, the small funds she raised at the numerous canal events she attended would not have paid for much. I have a letter on file of the donation we made to her of £250 for her two days of horse-drawn demonstrations at our 2010 Braunston Historic Narrowboat Rally. She would have done well to have raised the same amount from donations.

I recall at that event, she had slept in her horsebox with the horse she had brought with her.

I took a look inside and could see it had been well equipped, not only for the horse’s needs, but also for providing her with camping accommodation. Sue used it for canal events across the waterways, living as she did in the Pennine village of Mossley, near Manchester.

Society objective

Rose aged about 10 in about 1926 with the Ward family horse Doll at the western entrance to the Braunston Tunnel. PHOTO: WHITLOCK/CARNE

In 2001 Sue co-founded the Horseboating Society with Lynette Crossley at the National Waterways Museum. It had the objective of preserving the traditions of horseboating in all its forms.

Sue demonstrating traditional horseboating methods at the 2010 Braunston Historic Narrowboat Rally.

PHOTO: TIM COGHLAN

Horseboating in the early 1930s. The Braunstonbased Ward family with their pair of wooden butties and horse Doll which was capable of towing two butties at once – up to some 50 tons of heavy cargo.

Their daughter Rose, aged about 16, is seen steering the outside butty. Shortly after this photograph, one of the butties was converted to a motor by Nursers of Braunston and Doll was passed to another boatman but she never took to her new master and came to a sad end. PHOTO: WHITLOCK/CARNE In 2005 the society succeeded in obtaining a grant from the National Lottery, resulting in the production of its formal guidance document, Horseboating: Preserving Our Waterways Heritage. Its prime objective was to help preserve traditional horseboating for future generations.

The work also led to greater acceptance of horseboating by navigation authorities.

I first properly encountered Sue around 2002, when she joined the BW User Group Forum as the representative of her rather small Horseboating Society, by now recognised by BW. I had served on that user group for some years before that, representing the British Marine Federation’s inland waterways marinas group. I was very impressed by Sue’s natural ability to articulate her corner for what was little more than herself and Lynette Crossley – especially as there were representatives from the IWA, RYA, BMF, and many more substantially larger user groups.

On a lighter note, in 2008, Sue applied for the first time to come to that year’s Braunston Historic Narrowboat Rally, the event we had run since 2003. She came with her horse and horsebox to carry out demonstrations over the two days in the Stop House garden.

But prior to that she was to join the crew on the restored butty Angel for an early morning legging of that boat through Braunston Tunnel from Welton to Braunston. All the arrangements had been made with a very helpful BW, to close the tunnel to other traffic for the duration of about 40 minutes that it took.

Sue led from the front, lying on a plank fixed to the bow deck, and wearing traditional boatwoman costume, with her skirt drawn up above her knees. She legged the

BRAUNSTON 19

www.towpathtalk.co.uk February 2024

Sue locking steam narrowboat President through the narrow Tipton Flight in 2011.

PHOTO: TIM COGHLAN

boat through the tunnel’s milelength with help from the male co-owner of Angel lying on the plank on the other side.

She was very disappointed when she finally emerged somewhat soggy and exhausted at the Braunston end, to find only a handful of people waiting to greet these boldly-go leggers.

She rather blamed this on me for the lack of pre-publicity she felt she had received. I responded by telling her that the tunnel entrance was about a mile away from the event, at the top of the Braunston Flight, and tunnellegging was not a spectator sport!

Sue then attended the 2009 and 2010 rallies and I saw her again in 2011, on the steam narrowboat President, for the last leg of its return run from that year’s rally to its home base at the Black Country Museum at Dudley.

For a time Sue steered President up the Main Line, with myself at the tiller of its towed butty Kildare – a sort

of role-reversal from how the working boatman and wife would have operated.

When we came to the Tipton Three narrow locks, Sue was able to steam through them, but I had to bow-haul Kildare through each lock. Sue enjoyed the humour of this role-reversal.

Centennial celebrations

Sue and I met up again in 2013, because of her involvement in the centennial year celebrations of the Friends of President’s FMC butty Kildare, which had started life in 1913 as an iron horsedrawn boat.

The Friends wanted to do something special to mark this, and what with Sue being a longstanding member since 2005, it occurred to Nick Haynes, another member, that Sue had once said to him that she only walked 10 miles a day.

Stoke Bruerne was 20 miles from Braunston – so two days out and two days back should do the

round trip nicely, with a few days off at Stoke Bruerne to take in its gala weekend – sadly another canal event that has since gone the way of all flesh.

There was a month between the Crick Boat Show and the Braunston rally and we had offered the Friends a free mooring for their pair of boats for the period in between. That Kildare run to Stoke Bruerne and back would fit in nicely.

Nick Haynes recorded in the Friends’ newsletter: “Forty miles, 26 locks and getting past 300 moored boats!” The historic motor Perch accompanied Kildare to tow from Braunston Marina to the Bottom Lock, where Sue and her horse would take over, and then though the tunnels with Sue leading her horse over the respective tops.

I joined the group for the walk up the Braunston Flight, enjoying the opportunity to record the occasion with my camera. It almost felt like stepping back in time.

After a period of absence, Sue attended the 2019 rally and I continued to read about her demonstrations of horseboating techniques right up to the 2021 IWA Festival of Water. I also read of some of her amazing horseboating walks, past and present across much of the canal network, including the whole of the Leeds & Liverpool Canal, and a trip from Manchester to the IWA Festival at Waltham Abbey.

I have not been able to find out much more information on what became of Sue after that 2021 IWA Festival of Water. I heard that she had retired from the waterways and gone to look after an elderly relative in Suffolk, which she felt was her duty as an only child.

However just what then became of her life, I have not been able to ascertain – bar that she died on October 22, 2023, with her funeral then being held at Beccles Crematorium.

Sue had given great service to horseboating and to the waterways she so loved. She remained very much a single person, with no known partners, but having many friends and admirers. Horseboating and the waterways will be the poorer for her passing.

Ready to roll: FMC butty Kildare and motor Perch at Braunston Marina, breasted up and ready to depart for Braunston Bottom Lock, where the boats would meet up with Sue and her horse. The Ladder Bridge at the eastern end of Braunston Marina prevented a start under horsepower from the marina itself.

Dressed in traditional boatwomen’s clothing, Sue leads her horse from Braunston Bottom Lock, with Kildare in tow. Perch has gone ahead.

The breasted-up pair approaching Braunston Bottom Lock by motor, after which Sue and her horse would take over for the run up the flight to Braunston Tunnel.

Horseboating: Braunston to Stoke Bruerne and back, June 2013

Approaching Lock 2. Sue and her horse are working their way through the bridge hole to tow Kildare into the lock.

Above: Leaving Nelson Lock. Kildare comes out under tow with Sue taking the line. Perch holds back.

PHOTOS: TIM COGHLAN

Boating with the boys: Sue, third from right, with the otherwise all-male Friends of President crew after returning President & Kildare to the Black Country Living Museum.

PHOTO: TIM COGHLAN

Right: Kildare and Perch in Nelson Lock as it fills. Sue is assisting with lock wheeling at the right-hand top gate, with her horse beyond having a graze.

Approaching Nelson Lock. The crew have taken the line to bow-haul Kildare into the lock. Perch, partly seen, is now following in behind.

20 WHAT’S ON

February 2024

Popular community festival set to make spectacular comeback But we need help to bring it back to life, says organiser Kev Maslin A ONCE-POPULAR event in the boating calendar, the Tipton Canal & Community Festival hasn’t been held for more than four years, but local canal enthusiast Kev Maslin aims to put that right.

The Great Bridge-based photographer has stepped up to the challenge and assures local people that it will be going ahead later this year over the weekend of September 21-22.

Explaining the background, he said: “As with many events the Covid pandemic put paid to any plans to hold the event for the first couple of years and then people seemed to lose interest.

But we’re aiming to bring it back even bigger and better than before.

“The Tipton Community Association was always the big driving force and they have met my suggestion with great enthusiasm. We held our first meeting a few weeks ago and it was a big success. We seem to have filled the main organising roles, but still need volunteers on the ground over the weekend itself to act as marshals and general helpers.”

He continued: “We have a

Cruise into spring with BCNS

March – lesser celandine.

IMAGES: MARIA HARRYMAN

February – periwinkle.

Life is not still

A florilegium of the Kennet and Avon Canal

A previous Tipton Canal & Community Festival. PHOTO: KEV MASLIN tagline for the event which is Bringing to Life the Venice of the Midlands, which harks back to commercial carrying days when Tipton had no less than 13 miles of navigable canals – trade routes – within its small boundary. It became known as the Venice of the Midlands.

“As in the past we will be inviting canal boats from across the Midlands, we will have stalls, crafts, floating traders, boat trips and children’s activities. In fact,

something for all the family.”

Kev added: “It may seem a long way in the future but planning such things takes time and we have to fit it in around other commitments. And, of course, we want to get it right and put on a good show. I’ve actually lost count of the number of times I've been asked when the canal festival will be coming back, so I know the locals are up for it.”

Kev can be contacted by email at: tiptonfest@gmail.com

BOAT JUMBLES NOTTS AND LINCS BOAT JUMBLE SUNDAY 4TH FEBRUARY Lincolnshire Showground, Grange-de-Lings, Lincoln, LN2 2NA

SUFFOLK BOAT JUMBLE

SUNDAY 25TH FEBRUARY

Trinity Park, Suffolk Showground, Felixstowe Road, Ipswich, IP3 8UH

KENT BOAT JUMBLE

SUNDAY 17TH MARCH Hop Farm, Paddock Wood, Tonbridge, TN12 6PY

NORFOLK BOAT JUMBLE SUNDAY 14TH APRIL

Norfolk Showground, Dereham Road, Norwich, NR5 0TT

Bookings: www.rotaevents.co.uk 0208 469 4090 / 07780 800 257

www.towpathtalk.co.uk

THIS spring, as the flowers along the towpath start to bud and bloom, an exhibition of lino prints, paintings and contemporary quilts by Wiltshire-based artist Maria Harryman will be unfurled at Gallery 5 of the West Berkshire Museum in Newbury on Wednesday, March 20.

Billed as A Florilegium of the Kennet & Avon Canal, it has been inspired by the wild plants and changing seasons and will be open from Wednesdays to Sundays, 10am-4pm, until Sunday, April 7. Admission is free.

Maria’s current work finds inspiration in florilegium – books dating back to medieval times which recorded the plants of a particular place or garden.

Starting in March as older nature-based calendars did, the work will be curated working around the gallery walls through the months and seasons, depicting the wild plants growing in the reedbeds and hedgerows.

Sketchbooks and printmaking tools showing her artistic process will also be on display.

This will be the first time the complete body of work will be shown together and is accompanied by a booklet of illustrated pen portraits describing wider aspects of life from the towpath.

All artworks are for sale. Prints and a booklet to accompany the exhibition will be available through the museum shop.

THE Birmingham Canal Navigations Society has planned an early start to the 2024 boating season with an ‘icicle cruise’ at the beginning of March (Friday 1 to Sunday 3) to Parkhead.

This will be a similar event to the Fens Pools Cruise in 2023 with a Friday assembly at Merry Hill, a Saturday cruise to the top of Park Head Locks and then back to Withymoor on Saturday evening for some of the society’s special hospitality.

It is hoped to get a good turnout of boats; for an entry form visit bcnsociety.com

Contact: Maria Harryman Tel/WhatsApp: 07752 651892 Email mariacomstock@talktalk.net https://www.instagram. com/maria.comstock.33/ www.westberkshireheritage. org/whats-on

Beating the winter blues at Chatty Cafe A WEEKLY Chatty Cafe has been taking place on Warm Up Wednesdays in the National Waterways Museum in Ellesmere Port, Cheshire.

Volunteers are around in the museum’s waterside cafe from 10am-12pm to welcome visitors and enjoy a good natter in friendly surroundings.

The cafe serves a wide range of snacks

and light meals and the museum’s crochet group also threads an extra layer of fun and chat for visitors.

Visitor services manager Chris Done said: “For local residents and boating enthusiasts alike, the museum is at the heart of our community, and we’re delighted to bring a little cheer and a new, positive start to 2024.”

Crochet group members enjoy a laugh.

PHOTO: CRT

The National Waterways Museum is open Wednesday to Sunday (10am-4pm). Admission (annual pass): adults £11.75 (£10.50 concession over 65), children £8.50, 5s and under free.

WHAT’S ON IN FEBRUARY

If you want your event listed in our free monthly What’s On section email your entry to editorial@towpathtalk.co.uk or use the events form at www.towpathtalk.co.uk/events Please check with organisers whether the event is going ahead before setting out on your journey.

February 8 IWA Leicestershire Branch: Branch Annual General

Meeting, followed by guest speaker Nick Roberts with The Tidal Trent – a link to the North East and the Pennines. The Gate Hangs Well, Fosse Way, Syston, Leicestershire LE7 1NH, starting at 7.30pm.

Non-IWA members welcome. A £2.50 donation is requested towards expenses. Contact andrew. shephard@waterways.org.uk for more information.

February 9 North Staffordshire & South Cheshire IWA:

Bruerne NN12 7SB. All are welcome, not just IWA members. There is a car park, and refreshments are available. A £2 donation towards expenses would be appreciated.

February 19 Friends of the Cromford Canal: The Slow Road

by Mike Ogden. Ironville Church Hall NG16 5NN, 7.30pm. Admission £2.50, tea, coffee, bar and raffle.

Non-members always welcome.

February 21 IWA Lichfield Branch: Saving the brewing

Adventures along the Mekong with Alison Smedley.

Stoke-on-Trent Boat Club, Endon Wharf, Post Lane, Endon, Stoke-on-Trent ST9 9DU, 7.45 for 8pm start. Non-IWA members welcome; admission free (donations to waterway causes welcome), refreshments available. Contact socialsec.nssc@ waterways.org.uk

heritage of Burton upon Trent after the closure of the National Brewery Centre, talk by Dr Harry White. Darwin Hall, Heathcot Place, Lichfield WS13 6RQ, 7.15 for 7.30pm.

Basingstoke Canal Society: speaker TBC, Parish Pavilion on A3046 Station Road, Chobham GU24 8EQ, 8pm.

Clayton, 2.30pm. The meetings are held in the upstairs conference room at The Boat Inn, Stoke

Hana Wilson. Bletchley Conservative Club, 105 Queensway MK2 2DN, 7.45pm

February 13 IWA Northampton Branch: Curious Cuts by Phil

February 24 IWA Milton Keynes Branch: The Bata Canal by

www.towpathtalk.co.uk February 2024

21

22 MARINAS & MOORINGS

February 2024

DO SOMETHING

How’s 2024 going for you? This could be your year to make a change.

Okay, so maybe a wild garden eco boat isn’t your idea of doing things differently but perhaps it’s a new marina and a new mooring space this Spring, the perfect boat... a new adventure.

We make ‘doing something different’ easy...

• Choose from 29 unique and special marinas.

• Choose to live with us or holiday with us – find a mooring type to suit you.

• Experience new cruising routes.

• Enjoy 34 nights of free marina stopovers.

• Find the perfect boat with the help of our boat sales specialists.

Start something different today. Visit aquavista.com/different to learn more or chat to us on 0115 907 7444.

www.towpathtalk.co.uk

MARINAS & MOORINGS 23

www.towpathtalk.co.uk February 2024

Winter moorings available

• Award winning • Family run • Based on the River Nene in Earls Barton • Diesel and pump ou ut

• Flexible moo orings • Fabulous aw ward winning Boa athouse Café • CCC camp siite

EAST MIDLANDS BOAT SERVICES - WILLOW MOORINGS WINTER MOORINGS AVAILABLE!

Moorings Available for cruisers and narrowboats at £4.50 per foot, per month.

Residential moorings available at £325.00 per month.

Powered slipway for boats up to 40 foot and a second slipway for small boats. Slipway can be hired for DIY work or we offer services for Antifouling, Painting and General Servicing. We also have a Boat Safety Examiner on site.

Located on the A6, adjacent to The Otter Public House.

01509 672385 www.eastmidlandsboatservices.co.uk Kegworth, DE74 2EY

Why not come and see for yourself

TPIF

www.whitemillsmarina.co.uk t: 01604 812057 e: info@whitemillsmarina.co.uk

White Mills Marina, 344, Grendon Road, Earls Barton, Northants NN6 0RB

Set in beautiful countryside at the junction of the River Severn & the River Avon in Gloucestershire. Flood protected moorings, water and electric at berths, fuel, pump-out, and staff on hand 7 days a week. Gantry crane and work area for blacking.

MOORINGS AND BOAT SALES For viewings and information please call 01684 293737 or email: sales@tewkesbury-marina.co.uk

WWW.TEWKESBURY-MARINA.CO.UK Follow Us

Touring Park

Glamping Wagons

24 MARINAS & MOORINGS

February 2024

www.towpathtalk.co.uk

MARINAS & MOORINGS 25

www.towpathtalk.co.uk February 2024

www.goolemarina.co.uk Email: info@goolemarina.co.uk Tel: 01405 763985 Goole Marina, The Timber Pond, Dutch Riverside, Goole, DN14 5TB

Services:

•Dry Dock •Slipway •Welding •Blacking •Shot Blasting •Engine Servicing •Solar Panel •LPG Gas Safe work •Joinery Services •New Boats •Boat Brokerage •Electrical Work •Painting

Facilities:

•Water/ Electricity •Bottled Calor Gas supplier •Pump out •Laundry room •Heated toilets, Shower room with under floor heating •Licensed bar with outside seating area •Postal address for live aboards •Chandlery •Diesel

Goole Marina is located in a basin connecting to the Aire and Calder Canal and close to the commercial port of Goole in the East Riding of Yorkshire. The marina provides an ideal base for cruising the waterways of Yorkshire as well as giving easy access to the Humber Estuary and the North Sea. We have a marina basin to accommodate 150 boats of various lengths & widths.

We can accommodate all types of craft from Cruisers to Narrowboat and Barges.

All types of moorings, garden moorings to floating pontoons, which can be accessed 24hrs a day.

Our new Marina Café, Coffee Dock, is now open to the public.

Open Monday – Saturday 9am until 3pm.

Everyone welcome!

Sherborne Street, Birmingham B16 8DE 0121 455 6163 / 0121 454 5367 www.sherbornewharf.co.uk or email@sherbornewharf.com

Our boat yard facilities are located canal side, on the main line outside the Distillery

Moorings in the heart of the city Mooring in the centre of Birmingham City

We are in a unique position on the Birmingham Canal Navigations and have berths available close to the city centre serving all types of boaters for overnight, short term and long term moorings.

QUIET AND SECURE MOORINGS BOAT REPAIRS AND MAINTENANCE

GAS, DIESEL AND PUMP OUT

Boat engine service £225.00 Single day empty and refill £250.00 V bottom boat extra charge (at the time of booking you must inform us if your Boat is V-Bottom £100.00 Extra days in the dock if already booked in for blacking or service will be charged at £70 per day Blacking consists of jet washing the hull of the boat down and making sure area is clean and dry, should we find anything of concern we will contact you to inform you. We can offer various blacking products please call us and speak to us.

Anodes are £150 per pair and fitting/welding is £60.00 per pair if purchased from us.

All other works are charged at £60.00 per hour

Blacking is charged per foot length of the boat 40 FEET 45 FEET 50 FEET 55 FEET 60 FEET 65 FEET 70 FEET 75 FEET

£600 £675 £750 £825 £900 £975 £1,050 £1,125

CONTACT US ON 0121 455 6163 FOR ANY ENQUIRES

26 MARINAS & MOORINGS

February 2024

Hill Farm Marina

www.towpathtalk.co.uk

Blisworth Marina

South Stratford Canal

Cruising mooring - Go cruising for 3 months and get 20% discount

The View Restaurant is now fully open www.theview-eat.co.uk

Pay for 2 years and get a discount of 10% on 2nd year

• Enjoy private access to a traditional 200 acre beef and sheep farm • Dogs run free in designated areas.

• Watch the changing seasons, the wildlife and the animals on the farm • Enjoy the complete peace, freedom and tranquillity of being in the countryside • Access some great lock free cruising for day trips, weekend or longer voyages • Easy access to the motorway network • Onsite laundry, Hairdressers and Dog Grooming

Widebeam berths available

It goes without saying....

For Boat Sales please visit our website

• A secure place to moor your boat, and park your car • Luxurious showers, communal areas, pump out and fuel etc.

• Free unlimited WIFI • Electricity and water connections • Extra wide pontoons available

Blisworth Arm NN7 3FG www.blisworthmarina.co.uk info@blisworthmarina.co.uk 01604 879827

Please watch the progress www.hillfarmmarina.co.uk email info@hillfarmmarina.co.uk or call David on 07971 118953

Northampton Marina The ideal location for exploring East Anglia’s Waterways

Call us on 01604 604344 or 07867 580129 to arrange a visit or to make an enquiry.

Office hours: Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm Saturday & Sunday 10am to 4pm www.visitanglianwaterways.org www.northamptonmarina.co.uk Find us on Facebook: Northampton Marina

Nestled alongside Becket’s Park, Northampton Marina has a secluded, countryside feel whilst being within easy walking distance of the train station and town centre with its many shops, bars, restaurants and theatres.

Located at the junction of the River Nene and the Northampton Arm of the Grand Union Canal, it is ideally placed for exploring both Anglian Waterways and the wider canal network.

Offering boaters a friendly stay with access to a great choice of cruising routes.

Our award-winning facilities building is open to all marina customers, including washrooms, laundry, pump-out and Elsan disposal point. All of our berths have access to water and electricity. Our landscaped grounds provide a relaxing recreation area with BBQs and picnic tables.

We offer permanent, visitor and winter moorings.

You can also purchase your Anglian Waterways boat licences and navigation keys from our full time Site Officer.

Why not make Northampton Marina the base for your next boating adventure?

MARINAS & MOORINGS 27

www.towpathtalk.co.uk February 2024

BARGE WORLD OPENING 2024

Location of new Barge and Widebeam moorings

• High Leisure Mooring (5 nights per week) • On Berth Pump-Out and Water Facilities • Electricity • Private Parking • Laundry and Washroom Block • Wi-Fi • CCTV • Security Access

In the tranquil setting of Shepperton Marina, superbly placed for both upper and lower Thames cruising, Barge World offers a dedicated, fully serviced area within the Marina solely for Barges and Widebeams.

HAREFIELD MARINA HAREFIELD MA ARINA

Bridge 180, Grand Union Canal, Harefield UB9 6PD Tel: 01895 822036 muskmarine@hotmail.com www.harefieldmarina.co.uk

Facilities include:- Chandlery - Pump out - Slipway - Boat sales/ (up to 65ft) brokerage - Covered wet dock - Engine inboard/ - Water and electric outboard repairs points - gas and coal - Diesel

200 secure, non residential rural moorings in secluded countryside setting 5 mins from M25/M40.

One days cruising from the Thames.

FRADLEY MARINA

Reservations now being taken

07941 167 087

Call us to find out more 01932 243722

Whether you are thinking of exploring Barge ownership or selling or buying a pre-owned Barge please visit:

www.bargeworld.co.uk

Private, tranquil moorings nestled in the Staffordshire countryside just a stone’s throw from historic Fradley Junction on the popular Trent and Mersey Canal.

• 60 full length moorings • Water and 16amp electric • Modern shower block • Car Parking • Electric Gates • Recycling • Workshop & Slipway • Elsan • WI Fi & CCTV • Laundry • Fuel • Nationwide Boat Sales brokerage Our workshop and slipway is taking bookings for blacking • painting • servicing • surveys • repairs • new boat fit out • interior remodelling • furniture & cabinet making To contact the workshop please call Fradley Narrowboats on 07542 824262 or email fradleyboats@gmail.com

www.fradleymarina.co.uk |

Fenny Marina Finding peace away from home

www.thefennymarina.co.uk

office@thefennymarina.co.uk | Fenny Marina Ltd Station Fields Southam CV47 2XD

fradleymarina | 07941 167 087

Tel 01295 770461 ✔ Wi-Fi ✔ Electric & Water ✔ Shower & Toilet ✔ Totally Secure ✔ CCTV ✔ Elsan & 24-hr Pump-out ✔ Diesel, Gas, Coal, Logs, & Kindling ✔ Rural Location ✔ Rubbish & Recycling ✔ Courtesy Lighting ✔ Chandlery ✔ 15 Min drive from M40

28 MARINAS & MOORINGS

February 2024

www.towpathtalk.co.uk

SHAKESPEARE MARINA Our newest 250 berth marina opened in 2022. Located on the river Avon just 10 minutes’ walk from the centre of historic Stratford upon Avon. Marina facilities include rise & fall pontoons, water & electricity hook ups, free wi-fi, laundry, showers, fuel sales, Lakeland Leisure boat brokerage.

A marina that offers you a choice

T: 07714 095005 E: shakespeare@land-water.co.uk

CAEN HILL MARINA Located on the popular Kennet and Avon Canal at the base of the famous Caen Hill flight, this 248 berth marina is just west of the historic town of Devizes in Wiltshire.

A family owned marina set in rural Worcestershire, but minutes away from the M5, gives all boaters great travel opportunities.

The 238 berth marina is located on the Droitwich Canals, ideally situated for great cruising albeit for a short break or long holidays. It is within easy walking distance of the Spa Town of Droitwich.

T: 01380 827062 E: caenhill@land-water.co.uk

NORTHWICH QUAY Located on the banks of the river Weaver in the centre of Northwich Cheshire, this 50 berth marina has easy access to all its local facilities & amenities.

T: 07967 461038 E: northwich@land-water.co.uk

KNOWLE MOORINGS BAKERS LANE, SOLIHULL

This marina offers you ■ Security for you and your boat ■ Full length jetties, in a non flood environment ■ First class facilities, including luxury shower block and launderette ■ Shop and Chandlery

■ Elsan, Pumpout, Diesel, Water ■ Boat Blacking options available ■ Hardstanding, Service Area, and Cranage Pad facilities ■ Calor Gas Stockist ■ Caravan Motorhome CL site

OFF-LINE 20 BOAT MOORINGS NOW OPEN.

GRAND UNION CANAL, BETWEEN BRIDGES 68 & 69 ALONGSIDE ‘THE BLACK BOY’ PUB & RESTAURANT WATER & ELECTRIC PER BERTH, OPEN ALL YEAR, VERY PICTURESQUE & TRANQUIL SETTING, SAFE & SECURE, COMPETITIVE RATES (60ft - £220pm)

TELEPHONE 07813 156950

www.droitwichspamarina.co.uk Tel: 07970 626807 or 01905 317250

Droitwich Spa Marina Ltd Hanbury Road, Droitwich Spa, Worcestershire WR9 7DU info@droitwichspamarina.co.uk Tel: 01905 317250 Mobile: 07970 626807 www.droitwichspamarina.co.uk

PRODUCTS & SERVICES 29

www.towpathtalk.co.uk February 2024

SMARTAWOOD: UK ECO-POSITIVE PLASTIC

Smartawood™️ lifelong recycled plastic lumber - the ideal environmental solution for waterway projects.

With a BBA accreditation for similar applications requiring 120 year lifespan, Wey and Arun Canal Trust insist on Smartawood in a range of project applications. Smartawood is carbon negative, waterproof, infestation and rot free, and does not leach harmful chemicals into waterways. Smartawood offers low slip risk for walkways, decking, bridges, and boardwalk applications.

Smartawood is the optimal solution reducing the requirement for imported timber (and associated deforestation and huge carbon footprint).

Our product range includes:

• Planks, posts, joists, and boards • Fencing, decking, boardwalks • Revetments • Picnic tables and benches • Planters • Storage boxes and bins • Shelters and sheds • Bespoke design and build service

Call or email now: 01745 827000 paul.segal@plastecowood.com www.plastecowood.com

Plastecowood Ltd, Unit 2, Expressway Business Park, Abergele Road, Bodelwyddan, Rhyl, North Wales, LL18 5SQ.

ON BOAT HAVEN T R E H T O Facilities include:

Moorings, Slipway Hull Blacking & Maintenance Workshop, Brokerage Gas / Diesel / Coal / Pumpout Engine Repairs & Servicing

Opening Hours:

Monday - Friday 9am - 1pm Saturday 10am - 1pm Closed Sunday

Mobile: 07581 459309

Email: info@othertonboathaven.co.uk Otherton Boat Haven Ltd, Otherton, Penkridge, Stafford ST19 5NX

30 PRODUCTS & SERVICES

February 2024

Discover Our Idyllic Retreat & Enjoy Summer With an abundance of wildlife, peace, tranquillity and our experienced team on hand, you can relax and enjoy your own little piece of heaven.

Secure your berth on the Llangollen Canal, the most beautiful canal in the country!

Call 01270 524571 or email sales@swanleybridgemarina.com Swanley Bridge Marina, Springe Lane, Swanley, Nantwich, Cheshire, CW5 8NR - www.swanleybridgemarina.com

Kate Boats

One stop shop for your boat!

The same skills that keep our hire boat fleet running reliably and looking good can be available for your boat.

• Blacking • Welding • General engineering • Engine servicing • Engine replacement • Painting from touch up to a complete repaint • Electrical repairs and installations • Gas safe engineer on site • Heating repairs and replacement • Internal repairs and refit • BSS and hull surveys organised

Bookings for all aspects of work now being taken for 2024

www.kateboats.com 01926 492968

www.towpathtalk.co.uk

PRODUCTS & SERVICES 31

www.towpathtalk.co.uk February 2024

L R I N A arine E T m S

FOR ALL YOUR BOATING NEEDS

WHAT'S IN THE BOTTOM OF YOUR FUEL TANK? More & More customers are frequently complaining they have had their tank cleaned by a competitor, only to break down again. They call Tankbusters who attend and take samples from the tank and find the fuel still has water / diesel bug and rust in the tank. Clearly a COWBOY JOB. Tankbusters filter to One Micron & Removes water to 100ppm

Used one micron filter bag & 100ppm water removal filters with saturated diesel being filtered

UPVC TANKS

CALL TANKBUSTERS FOR MORE INFORMATION.

Water & effluent tanks, battery boxes, shower trays

ANY SHAPE & SIZE MANUFACTURED

Tankbusters filter first by magnet removing larger particles of rust! Fuel/other contamination is then filtered to a 1 micron filter bag. Water filters remove water to 100 parts per million (ppm) using tankbusters own filtration equipment.

Magnet filter bowl

Rust on magnet

Rust & diesel bug on magnet.

GO TO:- www.tankbusters.co.uk - for full details of Fuel Cleaning Services and Equipment.

Call 07974 808277 or email: bruce@tankbusters.co.uk

Call today for a free no obligation quote

Engine Service – Fixed Price £185.00 inc VAT (Using our own brand filters)

Call 01299 877222 for details

DISTRIBUTORS & STOCKISTS FOR MAJOR BRANDS

NARROWBOAT AND WIDEBEA M WINDOWS

FULL BOAT YARD SERVICES

DIESEL, GAS, SOLID FUEL & PUMPOUTS ENGINE REPAIR, SERVICING, REPLACEMENT ALL MARINE ENGINEERING SERVICES INTERNAL REFITS, IMPROVEMENTS, REPAIR ELECTRICS, WATER, GAS, HEATING INSTALLATIONS

DIESEL TREATMENT PRODUCT

FOR YOUR CHANDLERY NEEDS

OIL, FUEL, AIR FILTERS & BELTS ENGINE SPARES, ANTIFREEZE & COOLANTS BATTERIES, INVERTERS, ELECTRICAL SPARES FULL RANGE OF DECK & CABIN FITTINGS ALL SPARES & CONSUMABLES

HANKOOK BATTERIES

Hempsted Historic Dry Dock 50% OFF DRY DOCK SPACES E AVAILABL !

W O N L L A C

UP TO

ANODES W ALL HULL BL ITH & ANTIFOUL ACKING ING. FOR A QUOT CALL ATION TODAY

• Hull Blacking & Antifouling • Fabrication & Repairs • Painting & Sign Writing • Electrical • Plumbing and Gas • Paint and Boat Care • Inboard & Outboard Servicing • Fenders and Ropes • Engine Spares & Repairs

ELSAN PRODUCTS

ENGINE LANE, STOURPORT, WORCS DY13 9EP 01299 877222 enquiries@starlinenarrowboats.co.uk Open: Mon/Fri (8.30am to 4.30pm) Emergency breakdown: 01299 877222 - 7 days a week

Visit us and see the largest Indoor working dry dock and well stocked Chandlery on the Gloucester and Sharpness Canal You’ll find us just 1 mile along the canal from Gloucester Docks or at

338 BRISTOL ROAD, GLOUCESTER GL2 5DH

01452 415430

Email: office@hhdd.co.uk www.hempsteddrydock.co.uk

32 PRODUCTS & SERVICES

FULLY SERVICED CRUISING AND RESIDENTIAL MOORINGS AND FULL BOATYARD SERVICES • Iver (Slough Arm) and Northolt (Paddington arm) • Secure sites with private parking • Delivery of gas, solid fuel and diesel direct to your boat • Electricity, water, elsan and pump out • Showers and laundry • Chandlery • Mechanical, electrical, and carpentry work undertaken • Craning, grit blasting and blacking • Two part epoxy hull treatment • Fuel polishing service

sales@high-line.co.uk 01753 651496 www.high-line.co.uk THE BOATYARD MANSION LANE, IVER, SL0 9RG

February 2024

www.towpathtalk.co.uk

NARROWBOATS AND WIDEBEAMS FOR SALE IN WEST LONDON FOR SELLERS • Free moorings • Sales location with established footfall • Open 6 days / week • Trade Plates for unlicensed craft • Pre sales preparation and repairs FOR BUYERS • Free guidance and advice • Comprehensive handover • Secure clients bank account • ABYA qualified brokerage staff • Industry standard documentation PRIVATE BUYER’S SERVICE • If you are buying privately, we can offer the following services: • Advice on all aspects of purchase • Provision of documentation • Secure Clients bank account • Bespoke service – as much or as little as you want, priced accordingly

kb@vcmarine.co.uk 01753 652502 / 07860 480079 www.vcmarine.co.uk

PRODUCTS & SERVICES 33

www.towpathtalk.co.uk February 2024

Traditional boatyard, with traditional values The Wharf, NORBURY JUNCTION Staffordshire ST20 0PN Telephone: (01785) 284292 E-mail: info@norburywharfltd.co.uk

F.O.C. no obligation measure & sample viewing at your boats. Centrally located for your convenience.

One stop shop for all your boating needs

DRY DOCKING AND BLACKING from £20.00 per foot.

Now taking bookings for Summer 2024 onwards

Liveaboards are welcomed

PLEASE NOTE:

Our standard curtain lining includes a Teflon finish for added protection from moisture and soiling

01827 313334

info@elitefurnishings.co.uk

TURN TO

PAGE 58 T

- Easy access to the boat is provided by our specially constructed bridge which reaches out to either the bow or stern of your boat. Free 240V hook-up is provided while the boat is out of the water.

O VIEW RANGE OF OUR BOAT FOR SALE S

❖ LIVEABOARDS WELCOME ❖ DOGS AND CATS NO PROBLEM ❖ FREE ELECTRICITY WHILST ON THE DOCK

www.norburywharfltd.co.uk

moorings • boat sales chandlery • marina services

at www.eveshammarina.co.uk

Belisama - Cruiser

£44,950

• 57’ x 6’10” • 2 Berth • 2002 A 2002, 57ft, cruiser style narrowboat with reverse layout, Galley through to open plan saloon with TV to port, multifuel stove in mid ships with storage behind, through to walk through bathroom with pump out toilet, through to bedroom with small fixed double.

UP TO 6

MONTHS FREE MOORING

Monty - Semi Traditional £69,950 • 57’ x 6’10” • 2 Berth • 2008

A much loved and well maintained 2008, 57ft semi traditional boat, built by Equinox and professionally fitted out, Brief layout is Galley to the fore, saloon, bathroom, engine room and then bedroom, Bsc 2026 and last blacked 2022, A mooring is available if required.

on selected Stock Boats

Subject to terms and conditions

Contact Marc or visit www.eveshammarina.co.uk today!

Evesham Marina Kings Road • Evesham • WR11 3XZ info@eveshammarina.co.uk

01386 768500

34 PRODUCTS & SERVICES

February 2024

Woodworks Boat Fitting Bespoke boats to any stage of completion • Repair and alteration service Wheelhouses and dogboxes made to order

TRAVELSAT ✆ 07914 401 036 ✉ smhicks@btinternet.com

www.travelsat.me.uk

MOBILE 3G/4G/5G Wi-Fi SYSTEM

VISIT OUR WEBSITE New photos, videos and information added

PACKAGE 1

SATELLITE DISH £150 MAGNETIC MOUNT £25 TWIN LNB £20 ROAM Automatic Satellite Dish ROAM X

ROAM 5G THE FLEX

VU Cube £875 VU Cube (Sky Q) £950 £50 Roof Fixing Kit Available in White & Grey

Shared ownership the affordable way

Ownashare manages a fleet of narrowboats which operate on a shared ownership basis.

This means that owners of 1/12th shares can enjoy at least 3–4 weeks’ holiday afloat each year, school holiday weeks are available at a small premium.

Tel: 07800 902323 for more details

www.ownasharecruising.co.uk

SATELLITE PACKAGES

The powerful antenna has been designed specifically for Boats and Motorhomes, optimised to work in rural and remote locations. excludes data SIM card

www.boat-fitting.co.uk www.boat-fitting.co.uk Unit 72, Road B, Boughton Ind. Est. New Ollerton, Notts. NG22 9LD 01623 860 553 email: info@boat-fitting.co.uk Proprietor: Andrew C. Hooke B.A. (Hons)

www.towpathtalk.co.uk

SATELLITE FINDERS SAT FINDER KIT

£50

£375 £370 £570 £900 £570

PACKAGE 2

£589

• Manual Satellite Dish • Freesat HD Box with own TV • Sat Finder Kit • Manual Satellite Dish • 18” TV/DVD/SAT • Sat Finder Kit

PACKAGE 3

(Plus fitting at your location)

£689

• Manual Satellite Dish • 24” TV/DVD/SAT • Sat Finder Kit

SATELLITE RECEIVERS FREESAT HD £175 FREESAT HD PVR+ £250

PACKAGE 4

£1100

AVTEX TVs

£1414

• Fully Auto Satellite Dish • Freesat HD Box • With own TV • Fully Auto Satellite Dish • 21” TV/DVD/SAT

LCD/DVD/SAT 18”TV/DVD/SAT 21”TV/DVD/SAT 24”TV/DVD/SAT 32”TV/SAT

£389 £439 £489 £439

PACKAGE 5

FITTING SERVICE AT YOUR LOCATION

Three year warranty 12 & 240 VOLT POWER LEADS SUPPLIED

New Avtex Connect Smart TV’s p.o.a

HORIZON SAT FINDER

£350

Find the right satellite in seconds

Countrywide

To include cable and connectors, plus a demonstration showing you how to set up your new system

Your needs . . .

Seagoing

Saildrives

Inland Waterways

Marine Generating Sets

Spares & Support

36 years of customer centred focus, listening to needs and delivering long term value solutions.

Specialists in customer advice and support at all points of a products life.

Superb after-sales service via our network of approved engine installers and spares stockists.

D I E S E L

14 to 98 HP Greenline keel cooled diesel propulsion engines with mechanical or hydraulic gearboxes. Full hydraulic drive option available.

Super silent acoustic housings, 3.5 or 5.0 kVA travel power and bow thruster options available.

REDUCE CO2 BY 90%! Compatible for continuous use with HVO fuel.*

H Y B R I D

*If other FAME bio fuels are used or mixed we strongly advise use of our alternative fuel kit option. Available for new or retro fit-able to existing engines.

43 to 98 HP Greenline keel cooled diesel propulsion engines with single or twin 48v hybrid electric drive motor/generator(s).

E L E C T R I C

NEW Beta 14 E-Drive, 14kW constant electrical propulsion power.

Fully integratable with 48v battery management inverter charger systems.

Fully integratable with BetaGen/BetaSet generators.

5 year self-service warranty, recreational use only terms & conditions apply.

. . . our tailored solutions delivering reliability and peace of mind

www.betamarine.co.uk

Tel: +44 (0)1452 723492 Email: sales@betamarine.co.uk

PRODUCTS & SERVICES 35

www.towpathtalk.co.uk February 2024

***4. #%4 4'

# 2

# 9&# &2 9& '#" #& 6 – 9 ) # 2 ( .3

#+ 9 " -0 7 15 0-0! (1 79

& # 9 #) % #+ ) # ' 6 + 0 * #

%

#+ % #) %3 ▪ - #+ – # "# %%'# * % ' 4 ▪ % #) ) ▪ 1) #6" & 2 * 2 # " #%2 & 8 % #) ▪ $ && ▪ %& # # ▪ ( # # %'#) +%

/ # 8 /

# %

/ # 9 #) % – #+ 6 % 6 # ! % 5' " '& – 9 #) – & # " #% 6 " # #+ # % 9 ## * &% "'# % # % 2 " % # & %4

/ + & '#% + 6 3 – 53 " % # +2 9 &'# + 9' +

5# " # # * & # * & '# %" #% ) * / ## %

& # , %& *

# %% # % %& *

+% # : %& # 9& %% %& 4

!' " # "' "%

- & # & - & #&' 8 &* " "# ' &%

WHEREVER YOU GO, YOU CAN COUNT ON EBERSPACHER TO KEEP YOU WARM

DIESEL HEATING FOR BOATS Servicing Spare parts Technical Help System Design

HYDRONIC HS3 D4E HEATER This latest heater is now in stock. 4.3kW output and only 1.3kW at low, ideal for narrowboats.

Kits from £1695.00

LEADING UK SUPPLIER OF EBERSPACHER HEATERS & SPARE PARTS

HYDRONIC D4WSC EXCHANGE SERVICE For only £535.00 receive one of our factory reconditioned units when you send us your old, non functioning D4WSC or D5WSC*.

*Service exchange T&Cs apply

CALLSTART APP

Control your heater through your phone

Easy installation. Simple on/off.

Run time settings. iPhone & Android SMS notification. £159.00 SIM not included.

Espar Ltd T 01752 491900 web@espar.co.uk www.eberspacherdirect.com www.espar.co.uk

36 PRODUCTS & SERVICES

February 2024 www.towpathtalk.co.uk

 Expert Advice We can provide expert advice gained from years of hands-on practical experience, many of our staff own boats themselves and some even live aboard.

Real Shops

 Real Shops

With Midland Chandlers you have the

With Midland Chandlers you have the benefit of dealing with a long established benefit of dealing with a long established company with four bricks and mortar company with three four bricks bricksand andmortar mortarshops shops and a large central distrbution shops and a large and acentral large central distribution distribution centre.centre.

centre.

St

 Prompt Service With substantial stocks and industry leading service levels, we aim to despatch all items in stock within 48 hours of payment to ensure you receive your order promptly.

SAVE £££’S

BIG CLEARANC SALE!

While stocks las

Braunston

Preston Brook

Willington

 01788 891 401

 01928 751 800  WA4 4BA

 01283 701 445  DE65 6DW

 NN11 7HB

Shop over 5,000

PRODUCTS & SERVICES 37

www.towpathtalk.co.uk February 2024

THE UK’S NO.1 FOR CANAL & NARROW BOAT EQUIPMENT Don't miss our limited time offer with

10% off

selected Anodes & Hull Blacking *cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer.

Available until the 29th February

tand H85 Brands you can trust

CE E

st!

products online www.midlandchandlers.co.uk

  

38

February 2024 www.towpathtalk.co.uk

STEVE SIMCOE BSS EXAMINER NORTHAMPTONSHIRE AND SURROUNDING AREA PHONE/TEXT: 07860 943714 EMAIL: bimsimcoe@gmail.com FOR A PROMPT SERVICE

DELTA MARINE SERVICES

Marine Surveying

♦ Pre-Purchase Condition Survey ♦ Valuation ♦ Insurance Condition Survey ♦ New Build/Conversion Project Supervision & Consultancy ♦ Damage Assessment ♦ Litigation Advice & Claim Assessment ♦ Areas covered 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 & 14

Mob. 07831 355543 Tel. 01926 499337

www.delta-marineservices.co.uk

Pete Davidson BSS Examiner Most private craft examined.

East Midlands based.

Need a Survey or Boat Safety Examiner?

Areas covered 5, 6, 7, 9, 10,11 07988 739136 pete@bss-examiner.co.uk www.bss-examiner.co.uk

Dave Freeman

Over 25 years experience on the inland waterways

Robert W. Burton BEng(Hons), GradIIMS, MIET

Marine Surveyor & BSS Examiner Surveys, BSS examinations, valuations and consultancy Scotland & Northern England, Areas 16, 1, 2 & 3.

Mob: 07794 862 022 Email: robert@burtonmarine.com

Marine Surveys & BSS Examinations For a Competitive Quote & Prompt Service

Tel 07918 677782

Covering all Areas Based Bridge 69 Trent & Mersey Canal dave.freeman@boatsafety schemeexaminations.co.uk

www.burtonmarine.com

Alan Buckle Boat Safety Scheme Examiner

Independent friendly service Covering the Midlands and surrounding areas.

07856 686363

bsswithalan@gmail.com

RHYS KILLIN BSS Examiner

boats@jgmarine.co.uk www.jgmarine.co.uk

Areas Covered 10, 12, 13, 14, 15

• A Friendly and Professional Service • Fully Qualified & Insured • Ultrasonic Pre-purchase & Hull Condition Surveys • No travelling Charges - All areas covered Northampton based

01604 858 868 07944 856 351

rhys_k1@yahoo.co.uk www.rhyskillin.co.uk

07903 945196

surveyors@cetec.co.uk www.cetecmarine.co.uk

Dip.S.C. Sur AMIMarEST Areas covered: 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14

Tel 07748 861795

AREA COVERED: 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 14

Phone Chris Holmes 07860 254369 01784 464899

Michael Clarke

Covering areas 2, 3, 5, 6, 7

Based in Northamptonshire we are ideally placed to offer our services.

Our services include: • Hull condition, Pre-purchase, Insurance and Valuation surveys.

(Accredited YDSA member) • Marine consultancy.

Northamptonshire and surrounding areas.

A friendly and professional fully insured service Steel, GRP & Timber craft Pre-purchase surveys Insurance surveys Valuations Ultrasonic Testing

& Boat Safety Examiner

BSS Examination from £160

is an independent company providing professional and comprehensive support services to Narrowboats and Inland Waterways vessels.

Est. 1992

Narrowboat Surveyor

Dip.S.C.Sur

Services

Cetec Marine

info@northernstarmarine.co.uk www.northernstarmarine.co.uk

• Boat Safety Examinations inc. commercial craft • All gas repairs & fittings Offering over 30 years experience WITHIN A 30 MILE RADIUS OF BIRMINGHAM

Thomas Tighe 07973 321997 tomtighe@hotmail.com

MARK

EDWARDS MABSSE

BSS Examinations Contact

Charles King Leicestershire based

info@monarchmarine.co.uk 07836 210 656 www.monarchmarine.co.uk

BSS Examinations Ultrasonic Hull Surveys

Boat Safety Scheme Examiner All classes of vessels examined Landlords’ Gas Safety Certificates Caravans, RV’s and domestic properties

Based on the Gloucester and Sharpness Canal BSS Examiner, Marine Surveyor & Marine Technical Consultant

Areas covered: 2, 4, 5

Your Local BSS Examiner

based at South Kilworth

Phone: 07720 424396 Email: robert.hurst.bss@ btinternet.com Areas Covered 9 & 10

Areas covered 8, 9,10 &14 07528 628054 angela@severnsideboatsafety.co.uk www.severnsideboatsafety.co.uk

Tel 07970 384047

BOB HURST For

SEVERNSIDE BOAT SAFETY

NIGEL CARTON BSS

Completely independent.

Good rates and a friendly service.

Areas covered:

2,3,5,6,7,8,9,10 Call: 07989 388109 Email:

nigel.carton@btinternet.com

MIDLANDS BOAT SURVEYS Contact: 07754 058590

UK Enterprise Awards Winner Marine Surveying Services 2023 - Midlands

All types of surveys undertaken BSS certification partners Fully Insured services Comprehensive reports AREAS COVERED: 2,3,5,6,7,9,10,11 Surveyor: Tom Crosby www.midlandsboatsurveys.co.uk Email: info@midlandsboatsurveys.co.uk

PRODUCTS & SERVICES 39

www.towpathtalk.co.uk February 2024

REALDIESELS LISTER-PETTER DIESEL ENGINES AND SPARE PARTS SPECIALIST

UK’s Largest stock of Lister-Petter engines and gearboxes.

Unrivalled knowledge, experience and after sales support.

Having your tired old engine or gearbox repaired?

In the long run our options are likely more cost effective: Reconditioned service exchange or recondition your existing unit; Factory low hours and good used units also supplied.

All engines and gearboxes are supplied fully tested and with warranty. If yours is past it’s best, call or email us to find out more.

+44 (0)121 377 6029 mail@realdiesels.co.uk www.realdiesels.co.uk

J.D. BOAT SERVICES GAILEY LTD

The W har f, W at l i ng St , G a i l ey , St af f s ST1 9 5 PR 01902 791811 en q@ j d b o at s . co . u k www. j dboat s . c o. uk

SPECIAL ISI NG IN BO AT RESTO RATIO N & REP AI R Cabi n Ref i t s W o odwor k Pa i n t wo r k St eel wor k

En g i n e s El ec tr i c s Sol ar Panel s Hy b r i d Pr o pu l s i o n HARDST AND ING DI Y F ACIL IT I ES STO RAG E

smlmarinepaints.co.uk

01285 862 132

PREMIUM PRODUCTS FORMULATED BY EXPERTS FOR THE ULTIMATE PROTECTION & FINISH

40 INSURANCE & FINANCE

Over 10,000 claims paid to 100% owner satisfaction

February 2024

£40,000 £50,000 £60,000 £70,000 £80,000 £100,000 £150,000

from from from from from from from

£72.00 £85.00 £99.00 £107.00 £115.00 £155.00 £235.00

Lowest rates for qualifying owners www.newtoncrum.com

01424 718800

65 years of excellence, providing better boat insurance.

Authorised & regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority # 307035

EASTER IS COMING!!!

We are getting ready for the new season……are you?

Book your advertisements for the March, April and May issues NOW! Booking deadline for the March issue is Weds 7th February, April issue is Weds 6th March and the May issue will be Weds 10th April .

Contact Tania on 01507 529489 or email: tshaw@mortons.co.uk

www.towpathtalk.co.uk

Narrowboat insurance made easy Get a quote in 20 seconds On cover in 2 minutes Low on-line premiums Get the App - craftinsure.com/app

craftinsure.com 03452 607888 Authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority

BUSINESS NEWS 41

www.towpathtalk.co.uk February 2024

Holidays & Leisure

P42-43 Technical

P44

Aquavista’s Cropredy Waterside & Marina gets major investment

The scheme aims to get boaters out and about exploring the beautiful waterways network.

PHOTOS SUPPLIED

Marinas join forces to launch new visitor mooring scheme FIVE independent family-run marinas are joining forces in 2024 to offer inland waterway boaters the opportunity to enjoy a new discounted visitor mooring scheme – Cruise Moor.

The scheme, which will be launched this month at BoatLife in Birmingham, sees Aqueduct Marina, Droitwich Spa Marina, Dunchurch Pools Marina, Overwater Marina and White Mills Marina collaborate to provide moorers with the opportunity of staying on each of the marinas on a visitor mooring for up to

two weeks with a 20% discount.

Spokesperson for Cruise Moor, Robert Parton of Aqueduct Marina, said: “All of the five marinas involved in Cruise Moor share the same aspirations of encouraging boaters to get out and about and explore the miles and miles of the beautiful water ways network.

“A s family-run marinas we work incredibly hard to be the best in the business and go the extra mile to provide excellent customer service.

“It is a terrific scheme and

a wonderful opportunity for us all to showcase our marinas to each other’s moorers. We are all looking forward to watching it develop over the coming months.”

It is hoped the initiative will not only encourage more boaters to explore the UK’s waterways network but enable them to enjoy the facilities and personal service offered by the ‘fabulous five’ independent marinas.

Boaters can fi fin nd out how to qualify for a Cruise Moor card from one of the participating marinas and then plan their cruising season in the knowledge that they can enjoy the facilities of another independent marina with a 20% reduction in visitor mooring fees.

A MAJOR refurbishment project is under way to significantly enhance the amenities at Aquavista’s Cropredy Waterside & Marina.

Based just a short walk from the picturesque Cropredy village and five miles from the pretty market town of Banbury, the marina offers 355 moorings in the Oxfordshire countryside on the South Oxford Canal.

Speaking about the project, operations director Mark Wanless said: “We purchased Cropredy in December 2021 as part of our acquisition of Castle Marinas. It’s a beautiful marina in a stunning location, but the facilities were lacking.

“So, we’re delighted to have started these works which will transform the marina and really enhance Cropredy’s reputation as a fantastic place for our moorers to spend their time on the water.”

The significant investment, which is set to complete in March 2024, will see the installation of new high-speed Wi-Fi, CCTV and a security entrance gate, as well as a laundry facility with state-of-the-art commercial

washer and dryer stacks and pet laundry machines. This investment will also provide eight luxury ensuite bathrooms with power showers and hairdryers, plus a new dog wash facility for all the four-legged friends at the marina.

In addition, the existing reception area and moorers’ lounge will see a complete refurbishment with a contemporary colour palette, new furniture and lighting fixtures. A new outside social space including a pergola and barbecue area will be created and there will also be some other works to improve the aesthetics of the marina more generally.

Cropredy Waterside & Marina is the latest marina to receive investment as part of Aquavista’s commitment to continuously invest in its marinas and to offer the best of waterside life for its customers.

In the last 12 months, Aquavista has completed major refurbishments at its Brinklow and Kings Bromley sites.

Wigrams Turn Waterside & Marina in Warwickshire will be refurbished in the first quarter of this year.

Cropredy Waterside & Marina on the South Oxford Canal. PHOTO SUPPLIED

Work starts on new Vetus HQ

MARINE engine manufacturer Vetus has started work on a new purpose-built head office planned for completion at the end of this year.

The new 9500m 2 facility at Schiedam in the Netherlands has been designed to increase the warehouse space to double the current capacity as part of the Dutch company’s growth strategy.

It will offer better facilities to showcase

products and conduct in-water tests with dedicated mooring spaces for Vetus demo boats.

Placing the first piling post, Roy de Vette, grandson of the Vetus founder Willem den Ouden, said: “We can’t wait to embark on this new chapter as we move into our state-ofthe-art headquarters, which also happens to coincide with our 60th anniversary year.”

The new building will feature a rooftop solar panel array, generating much of its own energy, and won’t use any natural gas to heat up the building, relying instead on sophisticated heat pumps.

It will be equipped with the latest developments in automated storage and retrieval systems and have a significantly greater pallet capacity than in the current Vetus warehouse.

Boaters will be able to enjoy a discounted stay for up to two weeks on a visitor mooring at each of the participating marinas.

More charity success for Mercia Marina THOUSANDS of food donations and more than £200 for the South Derbyshire CVS foodbank were received from visitors enjoying Mercia Marina’s recent festivities.

Sales and marketing

manager Tony Preston said: “We were amazed at the volume of donations for our Can for Christmas campaign; so many donations that it broke our sack truck!

“We had to do some heavy lifting to help

Adrian Moore from CVS to get everything to his van so it could be taken to the food bank.”

More than 800 free presents were also handed out to children visiting Santa’s grotto.

The marina lit up green on the longest night of the year in support of NSPCC’s local Christmas campaign encouraging supporters to participate in a 5km Walk for Children in

Derbyshire in aid of the charity and its Childline service.

Partner and general manager Robert Neff said it was the third year that the marina had lit up green in support of the NSPCC campaign.

The first piling is lowered into the ground for the new Vetus HQ. PHOTO SUPPLIED

42 HOLIDAYS & LEISURE

February 2024

www.towpathtalk.co.uk

Cruise through the Vale of Pewsey to Hungerford.

Enjoy a springtime break on the water BRITAIN’S beautiful inland waterways are a great place to visit in the spring.

The countryside is bursting into new life, with blossom on the hedges and waterside trees, birds

01606 833668 Middlewich, Cheshire Puffer Steamboat Holidays Cruise the sea lochs and canals of Sccotlan nd’ss Wesst Coast in an oriigin na l steam powered Clyyde Pu uffe fffer.

Tel: 07780 936407 Visit: savethepuffer.co.uk

busy rearing their young, lambs playing in the fields and bluebells in waterside woodlands.

Drifters’ guide to the top eight spring breaks for 2024 are as follows: Explore the ancient woods at Skipton Castle

On a short break from Drifters’ narrowboat hire base at Silsden on the Leeds & Liverpool Canal in West Yorkshire, boaters can travel to the historic town of Skipton, with its medieval fortress and ancient woods to explore. Skipton’s 900-year-old castle is one of the most complete and best preserved medieval castles in England and its extensive woodlands are home to at least 18 species of trees, and hundreds of flowering plants, including wild orchids and bluebells.

The journey to Skipton and back takes around seven hours, travelling 13 miles with no locks.

Glide through the Brecon Beacons

Isolated from the main canal network, the beautiful Monmouthshire & Brecon Canal runs through the Brecon Beacons National Park and offers holidaymakers incredible mountain views, plenty of wooded sections full of the sound of woodland birds, and a series

of historic village pubs to visit along the way. On a short break from Drifters’ base at Goytre Wharf, near Abergavenny, boaters can cruise lock-free to Llangynidr and back, passing the Lion Inn at Govilon and the Bridge End Hotel at Llangattock.

On a week’s break, boaters can travel on to Brecon, passing through Talybont-on-Usk, with walks to the waterfalls at Blaen y Glyn and the popular Star and White Hart pubs.

Drift through the prehistoric Vale of Pewsey

From Drifters’ base on the Kennet & Avon Canal at Devizes it takes around 20 hours, travelling 27 miles through 53 locks, to reach the historic town of Hungerford – perfect for a week afloat.

Along the way, boaters travel up the spectacular flight of 16 locks in a row at Caen Hill and cruise through the beautiful Vale of Pewsey, passing close to prehistoric Avebury and along the edge of the ancient Savernake Forest, full of bluebells in the spring. Once at Hungerford, narrowboat holidaymakers can enjoy eating in a choice of pubs and cafes and browsing in the town’s numerous antique shops.

Boat to Brewood and back

From Drifters’ boatyard at Gailey on the Staffordshire & Worcestershire Canal, it takes around five hours to reach the historic village of Brewood, with its half-timbered cottages and Georgian houses. The 13-mile journey, which passes through just one lock, takes boaters through beautiful stretches of Shropshire countryside, and passes the waterside Anchor Inn at Cross Green.

On reaching Brewood, there’s a choice of pubs, restaurants and tea rooms to dine at, including the canalside Bridge Inn. The journey to Brewood is perfect for a relaxing weekend away.

Float across ‘The Stream in the Sky’

From Drifters’ base at Chirk on the Llangollen Canal in North Wales, the Eisteddford town of Llangollen on the edge of the Berwyn Mountains can be reached on a short break, with the World Heritage Pontcysyllte Aqueduct to travel across along the way. Standing at 38m high above the Dee Valley, this incredible 300m long structure consists of a cast iron trough supported by 18 enormous pillars and 19 elegant arches. On reaching

Oakwood Marina 01606 331961 glamping@oakwoodmarina.co.uk g l www.oakwoodmarina.co.uk G+

We have 25 acres of rolling Cheshire countryside, why not come and get away from it all by spending time in one of our beautifully furnished bell tents, or camping with your own tent or campervan.

The Wilder family, who own the place, have an attitude to the campsite that befits their surname. Grazed by cows in some parts and cut just once or twice a year for hay, the meadows are otherwise left long and wild in summer. A few footpaths have been conscientiously mown in between pitches to help guide you around the fields and over to another lake attached to the canal that’s a wildlife hotspot and a good place to watch for herons.

THIS PROJECT WAS FUNDED BY THE EUROPEAN AGRICULTURAL FUND FOR RURAL DEVELOPMENT

HOLIDAYS & LEISURE/REVIEWS 43

www.towpathtalk.co.uk February 2024

A pictorial view of life on the cut Reviewer: Janet Richardson

Looking down the Marple Flight.

Llangollen, boaters can enjoy visiting the town’s independent shops, pubs and restaurants, as well as its Steam Railway and Horseshoe Falls.

Visit the old mill town of Hebden Bridge

From Drifters’ base at Sowerby Bridge in West Yorkshire, holidaymakers can travel along the leafy Calder & Hebble Navigation through the Calder Valley to the old mill town of Hebden Bridge, nestled in a fork in the hills. Climbing through woods, fields and small stone towns, the journey there covers seven miles, passes through 10 locks and takes around five-and-a-half hours – perfect for a short break. Once at Hebden, boaters can enjoy a variety of shops, cafes, restaurants and pubs, as well as stunning countryside walks with woods, crags and the River Calder running alongside.

Cruise through Shakespeare country

From Drifters’ narrowboat hire base at Wootton Wawen, on the Stratford Canal near Henley-in-Arden, it takes around six hours, travelling through 17 locks to reach Stratford upon Avon. Travelling through the Warwickshire countryside, boaters can stop off along the way to visit Mary Arden’s Tudor Farm in the canalside village of Wilmcote where Shakespeare’s mother grew up. Once in Stratford, boaters can moor up in Bancroft Basin, just a stone’s throw from the Swan Theatre and the town’s shops, restaurants and museums.

for a short break (three or four nights) on a boat for four people, £815 for a week. For more information call 0344 984 0322 or visit www.drifters.co.uk

The Monmouthshire & Brecon Canal near Llangynidr. PHOTOS: JANET RICHARDSON

Dog Friendly Pub & Tearoom Serving real home cooked food & good drinks.

01858 545250 www.theblackhorsefoxton.co.uk Foxton, Leics, LE16 7RD

The Tudor Arms

Navigate the Cheshire Ring

Starting from the Drifters’ base at Anderton, this epic cruising ring takes boaters on a 97-mile tour through some of the most beautiful Cheshire countryside. The route passes through 92 locks and takes around 55 hours, and can be done in a week from Anderton, but a 10-day or two-week break leaves more time for visiting destinations along the way. The route passes through the heart of Manchester and the Peak District via the Ashton, Macclesfield, Peak Forest, Rochdale, Trent & Mersey and Bridgewater canals. Highlights include the spectacular vertical Anderton Boat Lift, also known as ‘The Cathedral of the Canals’, Dunham Massey Hall and its working Elizabethan mill alongside the Bridgewater Canal, Manchester’s China Town, the Top Lock at Marple on the Peak Forest Canal with fantastic views of the Peak District, and the Cheshire Plain with its heavily locked ‘Heartbreak Hill’.

Drifters offers a choice of 550 boats from 45 bases across England, Scotland and Wales.

All Drifters operators provide hirers with boat steering tuition and canal boat holidays are pet friendly. Spring 2024 break prices start at £590

Situated adjacent to Patch Bridge on the Gloucester/ Sharpness Canal

Serving Real Ales and Home Cooked food all day 14 Guest Rooms suitable for one night or more and ideal for visiting friends and relatives 01453 890306 enquiries@thetudorarms.co.uk www.thetudorarms.co.uk

The Leigh Arms • Moor at Bridge 208 on the Trent & Mersey Canal • Real Ales served • Children’s play area • Traditional British and Authentic European Dishes The Leigh Arms, Warrington Road, Little Leigh, Northwich, Cheshire CW8 4QT. Tel 01606 853327

www.leigharms.co.uk

Fox Narrowboats

Enjoy a break on the Cambridgeshire Waterways Day Boat Hire

Our day boat hire lets you meander along the Fenland Waterways. The boat can hold up to 10 people.

It has a galley complete with hob, fridge, cutlery and crockery, along with a toilet plus indoor & outdoor seating areas. Collection from 9:30am, returning by 6pm.

Cambridgeshire Narrowboat Holidays

On our Narrowboat holidays, you can relax on board in the cosy living space and discover the beautiful Fenland countryside. Visit Peterborough, Ely, St Ives, Huntingdon or Cambridge.

Our Narrowboat holidays can be taken as a week, weekend or mid week break. We can also supply " '! ! #! " " # "! " $ through Spring, Summer & Autumn.

Moorings

# ! "! ! " !# ! let on a daily or long term basis. We can accommodate boats up to 70ft.

We also offer a range of services from slipway, with hoist and cradle " ! ! & ! # ' # ! ! $ ! % " ! ' #! ! !

Email: holidays@foxboats.co.uk Web: www.foxnarrowboats.com Fox Narrowboats Ltd. 10 Marina Drive, March, Cambs, PE15 0AU

PHOTOGRAPHER Gill Shaw has brought into focus the diverse nature of the boating community in her book Canal Boat Lives.

Beautifully illustrated with her stunning colour photographs, it evolved from a commission to photograph eight canal boats to run alongside a feature on people living and working on the canal network.

She said: “I decided to carry on photographing as I was by then hooked on the fascinating people that live and work on our canals.”

This resulted in a photographic exhibition at Art Space in Marylebone, London, from May to July 2023. Gill is hoping to take the exhibition, which consists of 120 24x18in images, on tour in 2024 and is seeking suitable venues.

To date these are: until January 30, Shrewsbury Art Museum; February 15-18, BoatLife at NEC Birmingham; March 16-April 8, Foxton Locks; July 11-August 28, Marylebone Artspace, 17 Marylebone Road, London NW1 5LT; September 3-November 30, Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury.

Canal Boat Lives features liveaboard boaters – mainly in the London area – with a brief bio, written in their own words, about their life on the cut.

In his foreword TV celebrity Gyles Brandreth, who is seen

Gyles Brandreth: “They say a picture is worth a thousand words.” PHOTOS SUPPLIED

Photographer Gill Shaw hopes to take her exhibition on tour this year. with Dame Sheila Hancock in two series of Great Canal Journeys, writes that Gill Shaw has the talent to find unusual, quirky yet natural-looking images – it is the photos that tell the real story.

Some of the subjects will be recognised by many boaters such as Robert Meyrick’s T ro t t e r s In d e p e n d e n t narrowboat made to look like a stretch yellow Reliant Regal van, as driven by Del Boy in Only Fools and Horses.

And Kate and Stan Middleton’s Puppet Theatre Barge which has entertained

audiences for more than 30 years at Little Venice and Richmond-upon-Thames.

There are several musicians including Justine Armatage, Alison Beckett, Chris Lehmann and Bev Crome who perform together as The Deviation, often rehearsing on Justine’s narrowboat – which also houses two pianos – in Hackney. One fact they mention which I hadn’t heard before was that in his youth, tycoon Richard Branson fitted an entire recording studio into a narrowboat and was so successful that the Virgin Media brand was born.

Add to these an eclectic mix of families with young children, single-handed boaters and traders, all listed alphabetically and you have a gongoozlers’ gazetteer featuring the people who choose to live on the water.

Canal Boat Lives by Gill Shaw is published by Amberley Publishing (Paperback, 128 pages, RRP £19.99). It is also available in Kindle, Kobl and iBook formats.

ISBN: 9781398120679

It was all to do with the beer!

Reviewer: Colin Wareing

THE traditional view of the jolly boatman gliding easily through the countr yside behind the horse on the towpath is exploded in Dark Side of the Cut – a History of Crime on Britain’s Canals by Susan C Law. With an interest in the canals, you are probably already aware that life wasn’t that easy for the working boatmen and their families, either employed by a carrying company or as a No 1, an owner-operator.

But to read of all the goings-on researched by this author you may well be glad you were not boating back in the 1800s. Today we all are aware of places where we wouldn’t choose to moor, but back then?

The main reason for the arguing, murdering, violence, wife beating, robbery… the list goes on... seems to have been down to beer. Beer, as distinct from spirits.

In the 1700s a ‘gin craze’ swept the country and was

A volunteer for Canal & River Trust and a member of IWA, author Dr Sue Law is pictured on duty at the CRT Welcome Station at Hatton Locks. PHOTO: JANET RICHARDSON seen as being out of control, so in 1830 the government of the day passed the Beer Act. The idea was to have folks drinking beer instead of gin.

It allowed folks to ‘home brew’ and sell from their homes.

‘Beer shops’ sprang up quickly with canalside premises being handy for the boat crews.

Drinking and the effects of it didn’t stop because it was beer instead of gin!

It would seem that most boatmen couldn’t be trusted, with boat captains

and crew w ending up being jailed, transported or hanged.

So how anyone like Pickford’s was able to run flyboats and have a large fleet of boats, who knows?

There are chapters devoted to the Christina Collins murder on the Trent & Mersey and the blow-up bridge incident on the Regent’s Canal and quite a bit on the antics of the navvies digging the cut.

Being a northern boater myself it was

nice to read of hardly any crimes along the Leeds & Liverpool or the Yorkshire canals; southerners seem to have been the main problem, especially along the Regent’s Canal.

Not that I’m going to see it, but it would be interesting to o read what so omeone may write in a couple w o f hundred yeears of the crimes that go on o around the cut nowadays… perhaps all p ggleaned from the ’n e t , whereas for w this book a lot of the research comes from the archives of local newspapers, with indications that ‘false news’ was spread even then. A good read for the fireside, just stay off the gin!

Dark Side of the Cut by Dr Susan C Law, published by The History Press (Hardback RRP £20, available from Waterstones and hive.co.uk; eBook on the Apple iBookstore £8.99). www. thehistorypress.co.uk

44 TECHNICAL

February 2024 www.towpathtalk.co.uk

De-winterising and servicing Timely tips to check your boat from River Canal Rescue AS we head towards spring, the temperature changes signal the start of the boating season and with that, a need to de-winterise your boat. So what should you focus on?

Water

Bilges and pumps

Close any taps that were left open throughout the winter, replace the plug in the water heater (if removed) and switch the water pump on. Test the system to ensure there are no leaks or issues, and open and run water through each tap. Start with those closest to the pump and work through to the ones furthest away – this will push any air locks through the system. Then drain out any water in the tank and refill with fresh drinking water.

Remove all waste from the bilges and clean them. This gives you a better chance of spotting any developing leaks or issues throughout the coming season and it reduces the risk of contaminants being pumped into our waterways.

A bilge pump is a must – it keeps your vessel safe, so it’s important to have the right type of bilge pump and install it correctly.

A maintenance pump manages small levels of water ingress consistently so requires replacing after a few years.

Position it in an area where water ingress is likely, such as near the stern gland or directly under deck boards.

Engine

When thinking about servicing, include the engine, LPG/electrical systems, fire extinguishers and escape hatches. Check the oil (level and condition) – you’ll see whether the engine needs a top-up or a service (definitely the latter if the oil’s black).

Service your engine on a yearly basis or every 250 running hours, whichever comes first. Ensure all fluid filters are changed and also check the air filter.

Even if they are clean, it’s good practice to change them so that they work efficiently for the coming season. Also, run and test the engine to check for leaks and to ensure it’s performing well.

Check the antifreeze level – if it’s low, it could be due to a leak; make any necessary repairs and ensure levels are topped up in case there’s a cold snap (you never know with our weather).

We undertake engine servicing and inspections from mid-September to mid-March each year and guaranteed servicing is available at a discounted rate for RCR members.

Fuel

Water in the fuel is one of the biggest causes of breakdowns and poor engine performance, so before running the engine, remove any excess water from the water trap filters. If water is present or there are any signs of diesel bug (black dust or jelly) – dip the tank to identify its severity and treat it with a fuel treatment or polish the fuel.

If you don’t have a water trap filter, check the main fuel tank using a clear plastic hose. Drop it into the tank (don’t disturb the fuel) and when you feel the bottom, place your thumb over the end to seal it and withdraw the hose.

Servicing a JP3 engine.

out a qualified engineer. Finally put the engine into gear and check the control lever operation. These should move freely with no tightness or ‘grabbing’.

Grease the ends, check for fraying and replace them if required.

A bilge filter in use. PHOTOS: RCR This should provide you with a sample of the tank (plus an indication of any diesel bug contamination) and show the amount of water present.

There is debate about what causes sticky fuel – a change in fuel density that appears to clog up injection pump racks, injectors and filter head plungers, and block fuel filters.

We believe it’s linked to a change in fuel and fuel treatment additives.

Research is still under way, but a strong smell of turps signals you may have a sticky fuel problem. If you think this is the case, overhaul the injectors and/or pump, empty the tank and refill it with fresh fuel.

Bolts and terminals

Check that bolts on couplings, engine mounts (only adjust the bottom bolt) and prop shaft are tight, and clean off any corrosion on battery terminals.

Check the fan belt for tightness and wear (cracks and fraying are a sure sign it needs replacing) and gearbox oil levels.

A traditional stern gland should leak, but if it’s leaking too much, it probably needs adjusting and greasing. If this does not resolve it, it needs repacking.

Cooling system

Run your engine up to ‘running’ temperature (if there’s a gauge) or for about half an hour. Check the cooling system for leaks or escaping steam and if something is found, check jubilee clips are tight. If a split pipe is evident, call

An emergency pump acts as an earlywarning system, so it has to be automatic (responding without prompting) and positioned in an area at risk of serious ingress, and 2-3 inches higher than the maintenance pump. By making the outlet point as visible as possible, water pumped overboard will alert you to a serious issue.

Ideally, vessels should have both pumps. Also, install a Bilgeaway filter – it uses a non-toxic solution to extract petrol, diesel, engine oil etc from water and renders them non-reactive, leaving environmentally-friendly contents in a cartridge which can be disposed of and the housing reused.

Deck clearance

Clear deck drains of any leaves and debris – it will reduce the amount of water that enters the bilge and prevent rust from occurring within the gunnels. www.rivercanalrescue.co.uk

Check fanbelts for tightness, replace if cracked or frayed.

The benefits of an engineering apprenticeship Seventeen-year-old apprentice engineer Lewis Douglas explains how he has progressed during his first year on the waterways with boats, at college and as part of The Rothen Group team.

IN 2022, I was in a similar position to many students leaving high school after completing my GCSEs. I had secured my maths, English and dual science qualifications and needed to figure out what to do next.

During this time, I was presented with multiple options for my future: attend sixth form to complete A-levels, join a college and receive a BTEC, or enter an apprenticeship and earn while I study.

Practical learning

I knew sixth form wouldn’t work for me as I didn’t thrive in the classroom. In my mind, I wanted a course that allowed me to learn through action instead of behind a desk. It was during this period that I heard about the engineering apprenticeship with The Rothen Group working on the canal network. The concept of it intrigued me so I decided to apply.

Now in my second year at college, it’s safe to say I definitely made the right decision. My education is split into three-week blocks where I’m either attending classes at Reaseheath College in Cheshire or working with the Rothen team, putting the theory I’ve studied into practice.

In the past year I’ve taken engineering theory into the field with my colleagues, who have in turn shown me how to apply it to our work. It has been amazing to learn about river/canal management in the classroom and then do it alongside an industry professional the following week.

Apprentice Lewis Douglas, left, with Harry Whem of The Rothen Group.

PHOTO SUPPLIED

Working with canals

One aspect of the job that I’ve come to love is just how different every day is.

When I’m out on site with my colleagues, I could be fixing a canal lock gate, dredging a river, or working on heavy machinery such as workboats and diggers.

Two days are simply never the same. When I joined the team, I was surprised to learn how exactly the canals work and how much time and effort goes into waterway maintenance.

Few people know that canals require preservation work, such as re-laying the base to prevent leaks. Many that we see today were built in the 1700s and 1800s and you simply can’t expect them to remain perfect over such a long period of time.

We work in an incredibly

niche industry with very few businesses conducting our kind of work, meaning there are only a small number of trained individuals who can ensure preservation work is correctly carried out. It’s amazing to think that in two years’ time, once I’ve completed my apprenticeship, that I’ll be one of them.

Future prospects

As it stands, I don’t believe my education will stop once I’ve finished college.

I’m already in discussions with the senior team at The Rothen Group to undertake further qualifications at a university level in engineering, with a role ready for me once I graduate.

This is something that I never even considered applying for ahead of

working with the team. I may only be a year into my career but the support I’ve received to help me achieve a bright future has been astounding.

By applying for the engineering apprenticeship, I have been able to learn about such an exciting and versatile industry while being able to wake up each morning looking forward to work.

That’s all anyone can ask for when they’re starting their career.

If you know that a desk job isn’t for you and you want to work in an ever-changing, enriching environment, I recommend applying for an apprenticeship with The Rothen Group.

For more information visit : https ://www. therothengroup.co.uk

www.towpathtalk.co.uk February 2024

45

46 BUILDERS

February 2024

Free 1 night stay in the 5 star Titanic Hotel, upon completion of deposit, when visiting our factory. Subject to availability, see full terms & conditions.

ONLY £1K DEPOSIT TO SECURE YOUR BUILD SLOT EURO 60 X 12’6

SHEARWATER 60 X 6’10

www.towpathtalk.co.uk

Tel: T el: 0151 0151 298 298 9602.

9602. sales@collingwoodboatbuilders.co.uk sales@collingwoodboatbuilders.co.uk www.collingwoodboatbuilders.co.uk www.collingwoodboatbuilders.co.uk 72 7 2 St St JJohns ohns R Rd, d, L Liverpool iverpool L L20 20 8 8BH BH

THINKING OF BUYING A BOAT? VISIT OUR FACTORY AND SEE OUR FULL RANGE OF BOATS!

AVAILABLE NOW

HOXTON 70 X 12’3

SAL 60 X 12’6

BUILDERS 47

www.towpathtalk.co.uk February 2024

01270 525040 www.knightsnarrowboats.com Units 4-5, Aqueduct Marina, Church Minshull, Nantwich, Cheshire CW5 6DX

BOOK A BUILD SLOT FOR 2024 AND GET 3 MONTHS FREE MOORING

FOR SALE:

The Shroppie Range, 58ft, , Cruiser Stern Contact for details

Bespoke Built or Shroppie Range Exclusively brokered at Aqueduct Marina

Get in touch today to discuss your dream narrowboat

FOLLOW US ON

From Hull only to fully fitted narrow & wide beam boats built to your own design 57ft cruisers fully fitted from £125,500 Aintree Beetle range starting from £43,000 PLEASE CONTACT US FOR A QUOTE

WORKING TOGETHER TO BUILD YOUR DREAM www.aintreeboats.co.uk 0151 523 9000 | info@aintreeboats.co.uk Units 14-16, Brookfield Trading Estate, Brookfield Drive, Aintree, Liverpool L9 7AS

48 BUILDERS t

February 2024

JD NARROWBOATS LTD  We understand this is a life changing decision, so we welcome you to visit our working boat yard to see what we can offer you prior to looking elsewhere.  Top quality materials used, from the shell to the fit out

www.towpathtalk.co.uk

Bespoke Boat Builders Narrowboats & Widebeam

 We work with the customer throughout each stage within the boat build and happily discuss the process step by step  Only 20 mins from Willington, 5 mins from Sawley Marina.

Why not come and see what we can do for you OPENING TIMES Mon-Fri 8.00-4.30 Sat 9.00-3.30 Sun By Appointment

Sailaways  Full Fit  Repaints  Repair  Servicing Dobsons Wharf, The Wharf, Shardlow, Derbyshire DE72 2GH

3

We have

boats in build

Call Workshop: 01332 792271 or Mobile: 07952 378679 jdnarrowboats@gmail.com  www.jdnarrowboats.com

• Narrowboats • Widebeams • Dutch Barges • Bespoke • Offering Shells & Sailaways

Lee and Garry welcome all their customers, whether first time owners or old friends, a quality shell built to your specifications at affordable prices

Now you can find us on facebook, search

‘X R&D Boatbuilders’

Come and see us at Unit 67, Road A, Boughton Industrial Estate, Boughton, near Newark, Notts. NG22 9LD D Call 01623 863576 or Garry 07830 720879, Lee 07723 021798 Our website is packed full of images of past and current builds, visit: www.xrandd.co.uk

50 years combined experience

BUILDERS / BROKERAGE 49

www.towpathtalk.co.uk February 2024

Your Boat • Our Expertise

BEAUTIFUL BOATS BUILT TO LAST

Over 28 years of experience selling individually inspected, well presented boats from your own mooring anywhere in the UK, or from our base at North Kilworth Marina, LE17 6HY

Established in 1974, Colecraft have gained the experience and expertise to ensure that the boat we build for you will last for years to come.

All our boats are custom designed and built to individual requirements.

Boats are built to order to any stage of completion – from a bare hull or superstructure to luxuriously fitted and finished.

We build narrowbeam and widebeam boats for private and trade customers and are possibly the largest supplier of steel shells to other boat builders/fitters.

Our latest trip boats include Crusader Comunity (Widebeam with Hybrid propulsion - full MCA certification), Electra (Narrowbeam with electric propulsion - 12 passengers) and Kingfisher Mark (Widebeam with electric propulsion 12 passengers).

Our welders are coded to meet MCA requirements.

Standard fee of 6% + VAT with a loyalty discount for returning customers

01788 822 115 • admin@abnb.co.uk Staniland Marina, Lock Hill, Thorne, Doncaster DN8 5EP

Tel: 01405 816992 www.stanilandmarina.co.uk On the Stainforth & Keady Canal, convenient for all waterways in the north

Staniland Marina Boats For Sale Narrow/Widebeams Collingwood 60 x 13 Widebeam 2020 – STUNNING BOAT – Quality top end fit out, won’t be around for long.

Appointment only. Sensibly priced at £164,995 Lying Staniland Marina.

Springer 27’ Narrowboat. Recent Beta 20hp. 4 berths in 1 cabin, usual comforts, priced to sell. £12.995 Lying Staniland Marina

Cruisers

Fletcher Zingaro 30 Sports Cruiser. 2 x Volvo AQ151 138hp. New canopy ’22, Well presented. Lying Boroughbridge. £14,450 Lying Boroughbridge Marina Colvic Northerner 26. Well presented with BMC 1.5 inboard. Recent canopy & refurbishment.

Very low use (none for 30 years!) £12,995 Lying Boroughbridge Marina Viking 26 Centre Cockpit Narrow Beam. 25hp Johnson Outboard. Ideal starter ‘go anywhere’ boat. Berth available too. £12,495 Lying Staniland Marina

Salter Bros 30 Broads Cruiser – 32hp BMC, 4 berths in 2 cabins, typical spacious broads cruiser with galley, saloon & heads. £19,995 Lying Staniland Marina

Seamaster 27 – 32hp BMC, 4 berths in 2 cabins, good value starter cruiser. £8,495 Lying Staniland Marina

Brand New 2023 Sea Hunter Viper – Tohatsu 30hp, fully loaded. Upholstery, tonneau, radar arch, lighting, ideal fishing boat £15,995 Lying Staniland Marina

Freeman 22 Mk2. Ford Watermota inboard. Very well presented with new canopy. Ready to be used and in original condition. Berth available. £7,495 Lying Staniland Marina

Birchwood 29 Sedan. Single Ford Diesel Inboard. Spacious family boat with 2 cabins & centre saloon. Requiring some TLC cosmetically. Ideal as a small project, lots of boat for the money. £12,995 Lying Boroughbridge Marina

Hardy 18 Motor Sailer. 1990. 15hp Yamaha Outboard. £5,995 Lying Boroughbridge Marina

50 BROKERAGE

February 2024

www.towpathtalk.co.uk

David Mawby Ltd NOTTINGHAM LANE, OLD DALBY, LEICESTERSHIRE, LE14 3LX

T: 07721 382619 E: davidmawbyboats@gmail.com W: www.davidmawbyboats.co.uk

Quality River and Canal Motor Cruisers are available to view by appointment at our Leicestershire indoor showroom. Over 20 years experience and 2,500 boats sold.

ATLANTA 24

£17,995 VIKING 22

Length 24ft, Beam 6ft10ins, Built 1990, 4 Berths, cooker, fridge, shower, toilet, hot and cold water system, 12 and 240 volts electrics, CREAM LEATHERETTE UPHOLSTERY WITH BLUE PIPING, RECENT NEW CANOPY, powered by a Honda 15Hp 4 stroke outboard engine, Bsc 2027, all original gelcoat (not painted), hull and superstructure polished and new antifouling, includes new mooring ropes, clean fenders, etc, FREE DELIVERY within 250 miles

£28,995

Length 22ft, Beam 7ft8ins, Built 2007, 4 Berths, cooker, fridge, shower, cassette toilet, warm air heating, fridge, 12 and 240 volts electrics, NEW CANOPY, powered by a Honda 30Hp 4 stroke outboard engine, Bsc 2027, all original gelcoat (not painted), hull polished and new antifouling, includes new mooring ropes, clean fenders, etc, FREE DELIVERY within 250 miles or local mooring available,

New Viking Cruisers

Show Boats Now Available to view at our indoor showroom.

Prices From £32,995.

Including Outboard Engine PLEASE CALL FOR LATEST OFFERS

VIKING 20

£13,995 VIKING 23

Length 20ft, Beam 7ft4ins, Built 1991, 4 Berths, cooker with 2 ring hob and grill, pumped water system, separate toilet with porta potti, 12 and 240 volts electrics, NEW CREAM LEATHERETTE CABIN CUSHION COVERS WITH BLUE PIPING, NEW CANOPY, NEW SIDE AND FLOOR CARPETS, NEW HEADLING, powered by a Honda 15Hp 4 stroke outboard engine, just been fully serviced, Bsc 2028, all original gelcoat (not painted), hull polished and new antifouling, includes new mooring ropes, clean fenders, etc, FREE DELIVERY within 250 miles or local mooring available,

£19,995

Length 23ft, Beam 6ft10ins, Built 1995, 4 Berths, cooker, toilet, fridge, shower, hot and cold water system, WARM AIR HEATING, 12 and 240 volts electrics, NEW CREAM LEATHERETTE CUSHION COVERS WITH BLUE PIPING, NEW CABIN AND COCKPIT SIDE LININGS AND FLOOR CARPETS, powered by Honda 15Hp 4 stroke outboard engine, Bsc 2028, all original gelcoat (not painted), hull and superstructure fully polished, new antifouling, includes new mooring ropes, clean fenders, etc, free delivery within 250 miles or local mooring available, SUPERB BOAT IN SUPERB CONDITION

As the Viking Motor Cruisers Premier Agent we are delighted to announce the arrival of the NEW VIKING 26 WIDE BEAM GOLDEN CROWN EDITION to celebrate 50 years of Viking Motor Cruisers. With new easy access lift out cockpit sides, new open plan cabin layout, 2 tone cockpit upholstery and warm air heating as standard, along with the usual fittings including cooker with hob, grill & oven, fridge, hot and cold water system, shower, cassette toilet, 12 & 240 volts electrics, 6 berths, and a 30Hp 4 stroke outboard engine.

Priced at £64,995.

Book your viewing now on 07721 382619.

WINTER OFFER UP TO £2000 OFF ANY NEW VIKING STOCK BOAT WITH 5 AVAILABLE TO VIEW.

David Mawby Narrowboat Sales are open by appointment at Shardlow Marina, London Road, Shardlow, Derbyshire, DE72 2GL

SALLY CASS POO

£54,995

Length 57ft, Beam 6ft10ins, Built 2004 by Dave Clarke with a Trad Stern, fit out by Bridgecraft, powered by a Thornycroft diesel engine, Standard layout with bedroom at stern with a fixed double bed, next it the large bathroom with shower, pump-out toilet and sink, the galley in next with units both sides and a side hatch, followed by the main living area, the boat is heated via an Alde boiler with radiators thoughout the boat. There is also 12 and 240 volt electrics and immersion heater. The Bsc is to May 2026.

This is a very clean and tidy vessel.

LITTLE TROJAN

£29,995

Length 32ft, Beam 6ft10ins, Built 2003 by Sea Otter Boats, 1 owner from new, powered by a Nanni 21Hp 3 Cylinder Diesel engine, Less than 160 hours from new. Rear cabin comprises of a galley with a full size gas cooker, shoreline fridge, worktop with sink and drainer, cupboards with TV mounted above, dining area which converts to a small double bed, and controls for the Webasto heating. The front cabin has a double bed, along with the toilet and shower compartment, with a cassette toilet, shower and sink. A new canopy is on order for the boat. The craft is fitted with diesel heating along with 12 and 240 volts electrics and a battery charger. The BSC is valid to 2027.

SUENOS

£47,995

Length 44ft, Beam 6ft10ins, Built 2008 by East West Marine with a cruiser stern, powered by a Barrus Shanks 35Hp inboard diesel.

From the bow is the open plan living area with solid fuel stove and sofa bed, next is the galley with 4 ring gas hob, grill and oven, stainless steel sink, fridge and granite worktops, the wash room is next with a large shower, sink unit and pump-out toilet, the bedroom is to the rear of the boat and has a fixed double with a central heating radiator and wardrobe. Includes Webasto Central heating, combi inverter charger, 12 and 240 volts electrics, pram canopy, 3 x solar panels and a Bsc to May 2025.

FUTUREST

£49,995

Length 57ft, Beam 6ft10ins, Built 1998 by Ian Davis as a traditional boat with a boatman’s cabin and powered by a Russell Newbury 18Hp traditional engine in engine room. Current Bsc. The hull is constructed with a 12 mm base plate. The boatman’s cabin has a single berths, an Epping solid fuel stove, pull down table & storage cupboards. Moving forward is the engine room with side hatches both sides, next is the washroom with a shower, porta potti toilet and sink, followed by a the galley with a Belfast sink, shoreline fridge, full size gas cooker and side hatch. Moving towards the bow of the boat is the main living area with a Morso solid fuel stove with back boiler giving heat to the radiators, free standing sofa bed, corner storage cabinets and under gunwell storage with fold up table and chairs.The boat includes a front cratch cover, colarifier, washing machine,and Tv.

Narrowboats URGENTLY required for brokerage or outright purchase.

(Free valuation, free storage, fast payout on completion, competitive rates, terms apply) Please contact David on 07721 382619

Website: www.davidmawbyboats.co.uk

Email: davidmawbyboats@gmail.com

BROKERAGE 51

www.towpathtalk.co.uk February 2024

BOATS URGENTLY REQUIRED FOR BROKERAGE OR PURCHASED OUTRIGHT MY JOY 33ft Atlanta centre cockpit cruiser built by Viking. Propulsion provided by a Honda 30hp

Outboard petrol engine with the assistance of a bow thruster. Hot water and central heating provided by a Malaga. Electrics comprising of a 12v, 240v landline, Inverter, 1 starter, 3 leisure batteries and a solar panel.

The galley offers a Smev cooker & hob along with a fridge, and dinette seating. We can find 2 bathrooms, both with a shower, one with a Pump Out and one with a cassette toilet. 6 berths is arranged over a fixed double bed in the aft cabin, convertible dinette, and convertible seating in the fore cabin. The centre cockpit features timber wood flooring along with a canopy cover. BSC May 2025. Blacked 2022.

£24,950

MAYBEL 58ft Trad built by Heron Boat Builders in 2004. Isuzu 42hp engine with a BSC 55kgf

Bow thruster. Electrics 12v, 240v landline, Sterling Pure Sine Wave Inverter, 1 starter, 3 leisure, 1 bow thruster batteries, Sterling Power battery charger. Galley - Country Leisure Midi Prima, Country Leisure Argent 4 burner hob, Shoreline fridge and a Bush microwave. 4 berths - fixed double bed and a sofa bed. Maybel has 2 bathrooms, the main housing a Thetford toilet, Shower and vanity basin and a 2nd with a cassette toilet and a vanity basin. Configured to offer a wealth of storage and the potential for a work/office space. 2 Side Hatches. BSC 2027. Blacked 2022.

£79,950

LE GRAND BLEU A 60ft by 11ft Widebeam Cruiser built by Liverpool Boats in 2008, featuring

an Isuzu 55hp engine and a Vetus gearbox. It includes systems such as a Calorifier and Webasto for hot water, a Multi Fuel Stove, and a Victron Phoenix Smart Inverter. Additionally, it has a Belling oven, a Waeco fridge with built-in freezer, and a fixed double bed in the stern. The bathroom features a fullsize shower and a separate Porta Pottie toilet. The boat has a BSC until Feb 2025 and was blacked with 8 anodes in Feb 2021. Le Grand Bleu is a stylish water home in need of some cosmetic finishing.

£89,950 L’ANCHOIS 60ft by 12ft Widebeam Cruiser. Built by Collingwood in 2016. She has everything needed for continuous cruising or shore-based living. Canaline 52hp engine and a PRM 150 gearbox. Electricals 12v, 240v landline,Victron Multiplus 3000 inverter, 1 starter & 4 leisure batteries along with 4 x 250w solar panels with Outback Flexmax power system. Open and spacious galley offering a cooker, Shoreline fridge with freezer compartment and a double Belfast sink. Through the saloon onto the bathroom where we find a compost toilet, bath with shower over, vanity basin and Hoover washing machine. 3 Berths, 2 Cabins.

Master bedroom custom king size bed with underbed storage. Second bedroom custom-built single bunk.

L’Anchois has been beautifully crafted, if you are looking to begin a life on the water without having to compromise on space and home comforts then enquire about L’Anchois today!

£129,950

NOW OPERATING FROM 10 MARINAS NATIONWIDE BOAT SALES LTD

Email: enquiries@nationwideboatsales.co.uk www.nationwideboatsales.co.uk Tel: 01889 881960

Expert advice and guidance when buying and selling your Narrowboat At Swanley Brokerage we take pride in our professional approach and unrivalled reputation in selling narrowboats for our clients.

Our friendly and experienced Brokerage team ensure our clients sail smoothly through the buying and selling process.

If you would like to find out more about what we can offer please call 01270 524855 or email sales@swanleybrokerage.co.uk Swanley Bridge Marina, Springe Lane, Swanley, Nantwich, Cheshire, CW5 8NR - www.swanleybrokerage.co.uk

52 BROKERAGE

February 2024

ALICE MAY

£27,000

MONTPELLIER

www.towpathtalk.co.uk

£48,000

CED U D RE Alice May - 1984 51ft - Arkwright Hull and owner fitout. Powered by a BMC 1.5 with a PRM160VR2 Gearbox. Boat Safety Until April 2023

FIRWOOD

£50,000

2006 49ft – Napton Narrowboats hull and fitout.

Powered by a Shire 1952 with a PRM260 Gearbox. Boat safety until May 2026.

MERDEKA

£58,000 2005 57ft – John White hull and Triton Boat Fitters fitout.

Powered by a Vetus M417K with a TMC 60-2R Gearbox.

2001 50ft – Colecraft hull and fitout. Powered by an Beta 1505 Cylinder with a PRM150 Gearbox.

JACK FROST

£43,000

ED C U RED

RED DAWN

£58,000

2004 45ft - M+P Steelcraft hull with first owner fitout.

Boat Safety Until August 2026.

Marine Engines Specialists in servicing, rebuilding and spare parts for BMC. Our respected quality re-manufactured BMC 1.5 and and 1.8s marinised for keel cooling from £2820 If it’s BMC we have what you need Call us now!

A range of high quality re-built gearboxes are also available.

2003 55ft – Severn Valley Boat Centre Hull and Fitout.

Powered by a Yanmar Shire with a PRM150 Gearbox.Boat safety until April 2027.

T: 01926 813757 E: boats@calcuttboats.com www.calcuttboatsshop.com Tomlow Road, Stockton, Southam, Warwickshire.

CV47 8HX

ORDER ONLINE FOR NEXT DAY DELIVERY

www.calcuttboatsshop.com Open 24/7 for all your BMC and Hurricane spare parts and all your other chandlery needs online.

Reliable central heating and hot water for boats of any size

www.dieselheating.com

BROKERAGE 53

www.towpathtalk.co.uk February 2024

Tel: (01788) 891373 Fax: (01788) 891436

Braunston Marina Ltd The Wharf Braunston Nr. Daventry Northamptonshire NN11 7JH

On the Internet: www.braunstonmarina.co.uk Email: sales@braunstonmarina.co.uk

REDUCED CHISWICK

FOR SALE £69,990

71ft 6” /21.82m Trad Style, Hull by Harland and Wolf –1937, F/O 2006, 2/4 Berth.

AUTUMN

£43,500

50ft/15.24m Tug Style 1995, Hull by Colecraft, Fit Out by Owner, 2/4 Berth

REDUCED VICTORIA

FOR SALE £45,000

52’(15.85M) – Semi Trad 1996 – Hull by Michael Cull F/O by Lockhart boats, 2 berth, Trad engine midships.

FOR SALE ON REFLECTION

£44,950

42ft /12.80m Trad Style 1998, Hull & Fit Out by Venetian, 2/4 Berth

REDUCED £59,950

60ft /19.29m Semi Trad Style 2007, Hull & F/O by Aq qualine, 2/4 Berth

WIBBLY WOBBLY

FOR SALE £119,950

60ft /18.3m Semi Trad Style 2014, Hull Tyler Wilson, F/O by Milburn Boats, Reverse Layyout & Hyybrid Enggine, 2/4 Berth,

£59,950

57ft /17.37, Trad Style 2007, Hull & F/O by Northwich Boats, 2/4 Berth

LION STAR

THISTLE DDU

£34,950

46.2ft /14.08m Cruiser Style 1987,Hull & Fit Out by Rug gbyy Boat Builders, 2/4 Berth

FOR SALE

FOR SALE

SOLD SILENE

GAIA

£55,000

61ft 6”/18.74m Traditional Style 1985, Hull by Malcolm Braine, Fit Out byy Chris Lloyyd/Braine, 2/6 Berth

NAMASTE

£47,000

50ft /15.24m Cruiser Style 2001, Hull & F/O by Calcutt, 2/5 Berth Reverse Layyout

THERE ARE MANY GOOD REASONS WHY YOU SHOULD SERIOUSLY CONSIDER LETTING US SELL YOUR BOAT.....

Here are just two:  

We have a proven record for high and quick turnover of boat sales founded on our famous and prominent location An excellent and efficient purchasing procedure for our buyers backed up by our comprehensive boatyard facilities and services, and attentive, caring staff.

CONTACT OUR SALES TEAM FOR FURTHER INFORMATION

BOATS URGENTLY REQUIRED FOR SALE THIS SEASON

• Moorings • Narrowboat Sales • Steelwork by Arrangement • Chandlery • Pump Out • Laundrette • Diesel • Calor Gas • Dry & Wet Docks • Blacking • DIY Facilities • Engine Repairs & Servicing • Painting & Signwriting • Rope Fenders • Refits & Alterations

54 BROKERAGE

February 2024

www.towpathtalk.co.uk

OPEN 7 DAYS A OF WEEK LARGE CHOICE

NEWLY LISTED WIDEBEAMS WIDEBEAMS NARROWBOATS DUTCH BARGES

AVAILABLE FROM £100,000

NEW LISTING - AVAILABLE NOW!

VIKING CANAL BOATS 70' X 12' 06'' 'Cloudbusting' | £184,500 | thamesboatsales@tingdene.net

WIDEBEAMS

NOTTINGHAM BOAT CO. 70' X 12'

COLLINGWOOD 60' X 10'

COLECRAFT 70' WIDEBEAM

'The Jupiter' thamesboatsales@tingdene.net

'Tenacious’ thamesboatsales@tingdene.net

'Sunflower' pyrfordboatsales@tingdene.net

£169,950

£129,950

£149,950

£114,950

JONATHAN WILSON/FERNWOOD

CANAL CRAFT NARROWBOAT

G J REEVES SEMI TRAD 70'

thamesboatsales@tingdene.net

'Georgina C' thamesboatsales@tingdene.net

'Gladiator' thamesboatsales@tingdene.net

'Itchen To Go’ pyrfordboatsales@tingdene.net

£119,950

£72,500

£55,950

£76,950

SEA OTTER 31' NARROWBOAT

PETER NICHOLLS STEELBOATS 55'

SEA OTTER 46' NARROWBOAT

NARROWBOAT 60' RERRY BABCOCK

'Baddlesmere’ pyrfordboatsales@tingdene.net

‘Water Woodstock' pyrfordboatsales@tingdene.net

‘Wey Otter' pyrfordboatsales@tingdene.net

‘Yin Tang' pyrfordboatsales@tingdene.net

£41,950

£54,950

£64,950

£59,950

AQUALINE METROFLOAT 60' X 11' ‘One Life' thamesboatsales@tingdene.net

NARROWBOATS

JONATHAN WILSON/FINESSE BOATS NARROWBOAT

NEW AND USED BOATS AVAILABLE FROM 10 UK LOCATIONS BERTHING AT ANY TINGDENE MARINA GUARANTEED* WITH ALL CRAFT SOLD!

SPECIALIST WIDE BEAM AND NARROWBOAT SALES OFFICES Walton Marina | 01932 221689 Hartford Marina | 01480 274707 Pyrford Marina | 01932 343275 Upton Marina | 01684 593111 Stourport Marina | 01299 827082 Thames and Kennet Marina | 01189 477770 *subject to availability

Tel: 01933 551622 boatsales@tingdene.net www.tingdeneboating.com

BROKERAGE 55

www.towpathtalk.co.uk February 2024

Alvecote Marina Narrowcraft Boat Sales – Dry Dock - Repairs

The No.1 choice for hull blacking -Taking full boat painting bookings for 2024 BOATYARD SERVICES

• Engine and Heating Servicing • Breakdown Callout and Repairs • Gas, Electrical and Plumbing Specialists • BSC’s & Safety Examination Work • Engine Sales and Installation • Traditional boat painting • Specialists in Historic engines and craft • Boat Brokerage

MOORINGS

• Marina Moorings • Long and short term Moorings • Coal, Gas, Diesel & Pumpouts

DRY DOCK

• Bottom Blacking • Anode Replacement • Cabin Painting • Welding • Surveys GREAT DEALS ON EBERSPACHER REPAIR AND REPLACEMENT

BOAT OF THE MONTH

SHUGLEY

£54,950

57ft, 1991, North West Narrowboats. A reluctant sale of a very well cared for craft, one owner from new. Mitsubishi engine, solar panels, central heating, recent hull survey. 10/6/4 steel spec.

TRANQUILLITY

CLAVINOVA

£64,950

60ft, 2+2 berth, just Arrived, a wonderful solid boat built by ourselves in 2007,original owner from new, New BSC until Nov 2027.

SARAH JANE

£64,950

57ft, 2003 Liverpool Boats Trad, stylishly refitted 2023. Isuzu Marine engine, Victron energy inverter.

£34,950

42ft Trad 4 berth, 1981 by Colecraft. Excellent condition, Hull shotblast and 2 pack epoxy, BSS expires: 11/2025. 1 owner from new very reluctant sale!

WANDERING STAR £44,950

LOCKDOWN

£64,950

New just arrived, 65ft semi-trad, 2007 built by Liverpool Boats, immaculate internal with new bathroom and kitchen, Isuzu 42 engine, last blacked 2020. BSC March 2024.

47ft 6”, 2011, Probuild/Black Prince.

A lovely 2 + 2 berth cruiser stern Narrow Boat, With Canaline 42 engine.

SHOOTING STAR £44,950

KENTISH STAR

£39,950

58ft, 2009, Probuild/Black Prince, 6 + 2 berth - the ideal family boat with optional sleeping arrangement of 2 single beds / 4 bunk beds / double bed in the rear cabin. Isuzu 42Hp engine.

50ft, 2011, Drayton Boat Services.

Shooting Star is a well appointed 2 + 2 berth fitted with a Vetus M4.17 engine.

VISIT US AT Alvecote Marina, Robeys Lane, Alvecote, Tamworth B78 1AS Tel 01827 898585 narrowcraft@alvecotemarina.co.uk Tuesday - Saturday 08.30 - 17.30. Sundays & Mondays by appointment

For latest info and offers, follow us on twitter @AlvecoteMarina ON THE COVENTRY CANAL - ONLY 5 MINS FROM J10 M42 BY ROAD

www.AlvecoteMarina.co.uk

56 BROKERAGE

February 2024

www.towpathtalk.co.uk

BUY, SELL OR MOOR WITH US

View all our boats! lakelandleisureboatsales.co.uk

Meet the Lakeland Leisure team... we’re moor than just a marina!

RE

D

U CE D

We have boat sales offices in 9 locations!

KINGSLEY | £74,995 | 60FT SEMI TRAD | GREAT HAYWOOD MARINA

ANNIE | £45,500 | 40FT CRUISER STERN | TATTENHALL MARINA

A STUNNING 2009 VESSEL BY HEXAGON BOAT BUILDERS, FT. BOW THRUSTERS.

A 2+2 BERTH METICULOUSLY MAINTAINED 2002 CRUISER, WITH A COSY INTERIOR.

See me at

BEATRICE | £199,000 | 58FT CRUISER STERN | TATTENHALL MARINA

A CHARMING CLASSIC FT. BOATMAN’S CABIN, AN EXCELLENT PROJECT BOAT.

NEW LUXURY 5 BERTH BY KINGSGROUND, FIT OUT TO THE HIGHEST STANDARDS.

RE D U

CE D

DEEP PURPLE | £89,995 | 60FT TRAD NARROWBOAT | BARTON MARINA

FOXTERRIER | £68,000

BLYS | £81,000

CANTERBURY TALES | £175,000

WOODY | £35,000

OZYMANDIAS | £75,000

69FT CRUISER STERN CAEN HILL MARINA

70FT SEMI TRAD SHAKESPEARE MARINA

68FT X 12FT WIDEBEAM SAUL JUNCTION MARINA

40FT CRUISER STERN SAUL JUNCTION MARINA

43FT X 10FT WIDEBEAM ROYDON MARINA VILLAGE

9

BOAT SALES OFFICES

07534 655702

07354 902086

07585 956804

07748 036638

07513 708099

SHAKESPEARE: 07354 902085 | CAEN HILL: 07354 902085 | DEGANWY (COASTAL BOATS): 07935 010167

BROKERAGE 57

www.towpathtalk.co.uk February 2024

ASH BOATS

For all enquiries please ring Stephen Harral 07771 510154.

Ref 1503

Ref 1504

steve@ashboats.co.uk

MELLOR 16 £125,000 NEW BUILD 57 ft cruiser style narrowboat completed Sept ’23 and now available for immediate delivery with all certification/warranties etc.

Aft living area, forward bedroom.

Lovely contemporary interior.

NEW BOAT FOR THE NEW YEAR – Ref 1502 SALE PRICE £110,000

NEW CONCEPT PREMIUM 577 £139,500 57ft cruiser style narrowboat, due for Completion with a high spec and lovely quality. Reverse layout with bedroom forward, Aft galley, central living. Still some scope for buyer input (exterior colour/ extras etc). Bow thruster, Victron electronics, solar panels, very stylish interior. Can be viewed by Appointment. (Pictures of similar boat). NEW BOAT FOR THE NEW YEAR

Ref 1507

RADAR £66,950 Lovely 58ft cruiser style, Bridgewater Boatbuilders in 2007 with lovely alterations by Nantwich Canal Centre. Beta 43, bow thruster, solar panels, washing machine, Victron 3.0kw inverter, aft canopy. Oak and ash woodwork. Very good condition.

Own mooring.

Ref 1506

PEARL GRACE £27,950 A unique 32ft narrowboat with wheel steering forward (In the cabin) and tiller steering on aft deck, plenty of windows and designed as a weekender with sleeping potential aft and a makeup bed forward. Wc/shower and cooking facilities. Hardly used.

Ref 1505

ROSE O’LEIGH £27,950 47ft trad style, with large, open living area, shower/wc and storage cupboards aft. Extended by 15ft in 2015 with a new Vetus 4cyl engine. Basic, functional boat ideal for the simple life afloat.

Solar charging, Squirrel stove heating. Well priced.

SMOKEY JOE £39,950 50ft semi-trad narrowboat.

John White Fabrications with conventional aft bedroom/forward living area, with dinette/double.

Solid fuel stove plus diesel cent heat. Solar panels, Ref 1509 bow thruster etc.

LE SA EED R AG

www.ashboats.co.uk

MANDOLIN WIND £69,950 Built to a high standard by Cherilton Boats in 2012 with Stunning steelwork by XR&D; Recent full exterior repaint. 60ft Semi-trad, narrowboat, Aft Galley (granite work tops), pullman dinette, lounge, shower room (with pump-out), Forward bedroom. Lovely woodwork, high spec – washing machine, bow thruster, Mastervolt, battery management. Lovely condition.

Ref 1494

NEWING T LIS

CANAL BROKERAGE IN CHESHIRE.

Ref 1510

SEPTEMBER SONG £42,950 42ft trad style narrowboat.

Back-to-metal exterior repaint and back-to-metal interior refit recently completed. All new interior lining, insulation and fittings/appliances. Very good condition throughout. Forward living area, aft shower room.

Ref 1508

BRISTOL FASHION £56,950 50ft Dutch style narrowbeam.

Fully refitted (from bare shell) in 2017. Lovely bright interior with shower forward, bedroom, aft living area of lounge, dining area and galley. Solar, inverter, solid fuel stove, gorgeous wood floor – all new 6 years’ ago. Good survey from 2021 available.

NEWING T LIS

VENDELLA £52,500 50ft trad style by John White with a David Moores fit out.

Very high quality woodwork – a combination of ash and oak. Well crafted and with cupboards and shelves everywhere. Aft bedroom, forward living area. Very good condition.

LD

SO

ONLY

£14.99

ONLY

£29.99

ONLY

ONLY

£9.99

Mods & Rockers

by Gareth Brown Explore the genesis of both movements right through from their conception to the cell splitting that separated them.

Old So Kool 2 – The lost Years

The Rise and Fall of King Coal

by Nick Pigott

From its origins in prehistoric swamps to its early primitive mining methods and to coal’s role as the mineral that fuelled the Industrial Revolution.

How to.. Grow food for your kitchen Over 50 original, mouthwatering recipes from Kitchen Garden magazine’s resident chef Anna Cairns-Pettigrew.

ONLY

£40

By Paul Pilgrim and Steven O’Hara Explore a second treasure trove of beautiful graffiti pieces – many of them having lain dormant and unseen for decades.

£14.99

The Opium Eaters

by Stephen Carver Discover the impact of opium abuse on the literature and politics of the 19th century.

Secret Projects of ONLY £35 the Luftwaffe

by Daniel Uhr & Dan Sharp Discover the competitions and requirements which produced innovative and unusual designs during WW2 and view the original German construction sketches.

ORDER NOW: www.mortonsbooks.co.uk Or call 01507 529529

WANT TO HEAR ABOUT OUR LATEST BOOKS?

Mortons Media Group is preparing to launch a new range of non-fiction books from railway, military and aviation history to consumer issues, hobbies, crime, and politics.

If you would like to hear more about our upcoming book releases and special offers, sign up to our newsletter.

JOIN OUR BOOK CLUB! AND RECEIVE 10% OFF! To view the privacy policy of MMG Ltd (publisher of Mortons Books) please visit www.mortons.co.uk/privacy

58 BROKERAGE

February 2024

www.towpathtalk.co.uk

New stock arriving shortly

Traditional boatyard, with traditional values

REF 10539 - Queen Maeve 46 foot semi traditional stern narrow boat. REDUCED TO £26,950.00

REF 10541 - Teiwaz 60 foot tug style narrow boat. £44,950.00

REF 10542 - Sapphire 50 foot cruiser stern narrow boat. £34,950.00

REF 10544 - Calluna 34 foot cruiser stern narrow boat. £31,500.00

REF 10547 - Blue Diamond 60 foot traditional stern narrow boat. £49,950.00

REF 10548 - Cead Mile Failte.

50 foot semi traditional stern narrow boat. JUST ARRIVED. £35,950.00.

REF 10551 - Highland Mist.

REF 10552 - Brummie Jem. 56 foot semi traditional stern narrow boat. JUST ARRIVED. £34,950.00. 65 foot tug style narrow boat. JUST ARRIVED. £49,950.00.

REF 10553 - Golden Lark.

56 foot semi traditional stern narrow boat. UNDER OFFER.

REF 10550 - Eclipse.

70 foot traditional stern narrow boat. £54,950.00.

Please visit our website for a full list of boats currently For Sale

The Wharf, NORBURY JUNCTION Staffordshire ST20 0PN Tel: (01785) 284292 • E-mail: info@norburywharfltd.co.uk

www.norburywharfltd.co.uk

59

www.towpathtalk.co.uk February 2024

BALLAST

BOOKS

CANOPIES

ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT

CANALIA

GRAPHICS

BOAT BUILDER

COURSES

CANOPIES GRIT BLASTING

BOAT PAINTERS

HEATING

DOUBLE GLAZING

BOATS WANTED

INSURANCE

60

February 2024 www.towpathtalk.co.uk

INSURANCE

MOORINGS

SERVICE & REPAIRS

SERVICES

INSURANCE

MAPS

MOORINGS

LED LIGHTING

MAIL FORWARDING

SERVICES

61

www.towpathtalk.co.uk February 2024

SITUATIONS VACANT

TRANSPORT BY ROAD

TRANSPORT BY ROAD

TRANSPORT BY WATER

WINDOWS

SITUATIONS VACANT TRANSPORT BY WATER

62 READER ADVERTS/HERITAGE

February 2024 www.towpathtalk.co.uk

READER ADVERTS Heritage under the hammer Selling your boat is FREE for private readers of Towpath Talk For Sale 48FT NARROWBOAT Purchased the boat from Worcester Marina back in November 2020 to be used for family holidays, boat has been fully serviced and maintained since it was built in 2007, we have fitted a new economical diesel fuelled central heating system, front and back cratches, new flooring and new bathroom, boat is ready to cruise and has never let us down. Please come and have a viewing, £52,000 Tel. 07977 111838.

MARIE LOUISE is a lovely go anywhere 60ft cruiser stern narrowboat owned from new, reverse layout with dinette, c/heating, inverter, stove, cassette toilet and cross bed, £69,950 Tel. 07960 768724.

NARROWBOAT Amanda II, 42ft steel narrowboat, tug style with Gardner 4LK engine, PRM 160 gearbox, twin prop Sleipner 7hp bow thruster, traditional boatsman cabin, toilet, shower, handbasin, recent survey, £28,500 Tel. 07860 166810.

NAUTI BUOY lovely 60ft semi traditional narrowboat owned from new, very well looked after and a boat to be proud of, entering the pram covered stern into the very popular reverse layout boat with the galley first, well appointed

with fridge/freezer, free-standing cooker, granite work surfaces and plenty of storage, small dinette, 2 easy chairs and fitted TV, multi fuel stove and Webasto central heating to 2 designer radiators and towel radiator, great narrowboat for the liveaboard or extended cruising, £99,950 Tel. 07960 768724.

Parts For Sale

GENERATOR petrol 2.3 4 stroke unleaded generator, in good condition, hardly used, been in storage in a dry garage, £300 or nearest offer Tel. 07909 586614.

Email. jacqueline.peachey@ icloud.com WIDEBEAM HOUSEBOAT Albee was designed to maximise space for a family of four to live comfortably all year around, has 3 bedrooms and a large 20ft-plus living area and a generous kitchen, the roof has been enclosed with railings to make a massive roof terrace giving wonderful views back down the Thames.

Albee is located on Ash Island, a tranquil and private boating community and comes on a fully residential mooring. This part of the river is fantastic for swimming, paddleboarding and cruising, £159,000 Email. richardturpin10@ gmail.com

DUTCH BARGE large residential, very spacious liveaboard, or a weekend retreat, at Gravesend Embankment (residential) Marina near a very nice park on the banks of the Thames; and near the town with shops etc, has a log burner, diesel fired central heating, electric heating, main bedroom has a large kingsize bed, 2nd bedroom can be a bedroom or a study or workshop, £79,950 Tel. 07803 938805.

SABB 2H diesel engine with gearbox, full nut & bolt rebuild with new gaskets and parts including starter motor and alternator. Also Sabb model G diesel engine with full nut and bolt rebuild with new gaskets and parts & new manifold also starter motor, both engines include s/gear. Also for sale national 2 DM diesel engine full strip down and rebuilt including new bearings, pistons and RN conversions trunk and support for new PRM gearbox Tel. 01254 202341.

STUART TURNER marine engine 4hp with reverse gear and raised hand start on works, fitted base drip tray with locating positions for securing a boat hull, this engine has never been installed and comes complete with full stern gear and brass exhaust and copper piping and fittings, would be lovely in a launch or cruiser.

Also Stuart Turner 3hp engine type 5LY on timber supports hand start from flywheel end, both engines are magnificent with the brass work, contact for further details Tel. 01254 202341.

THE sign, which sold for £340 at a Great Central Railwayana auction on December 2, was a Grand Union Canal Company enamel notice warning that the ‘towing path’ was private property to be used only for the purposes of navigation. It carried the name of the company’s manager and secretary L Bygrave and was dated January 1934.

Two worksplates from 0-6-0T locomotives built

by Hudswell Clarke of Leeds for the Manchester Ship Canal Co sold for £550 and £360 at the same auction.

They were respectively from No 78, which entered traffic in 1927 and was scrapped in 1961, and No 6, which was named

Riga – the capital of Latvia – and operated at the standard gauge railway from new in 1913 until 1964, when it too was cut up.

The coloured clothbound map of navigable canals, dating from 1795, was the work of map engraver and bookseller Thomas Conder (17471831). It sold for £65, and was one of a selection of canalia in the October 14-31 Paperchase quarterly email and postal auction of paperwork run by Brian Moakes.

Other canalia in the sale included two further maps, dated 1917 and 1942 that sold for £55 and £48 respectively. The former was a map of the Caledonian Canal, which runs 60 miles

Miscellaneous

Parts Wanted HONDA outboard control box side mount L/H complete with cables if possible to fit Norman 23 Cruiser Tel. 01785 611336.

Staffordshire.

A wide selection of memorabilia, including a canal towpath sign and a 228-year-old map of navigable canals, is under the spotlight in Geoff Courtney’s bimonthly report of the canalia auction scene.

HAMILTON’S Broads Navigation Charts and Index, 19th Edition, bought in 1964, £2 plus postage Tel. 01132 693672. Email.

PJRice88@hotmail.co.uk

A River Thames guide published by the GWR was one of a selection of canal and inland waterways publications that sold at auction in October.

PHOTO: PAPERCHASE

The Canal Street road sign from Nottingham that sold for £85 at auction in November.

PHOTO: GREAT CENTRAL RAILWAYANA

This Grand Union Canal Company towing path notice sold for £340 at auction on December 2.

PHOTO: GREAT CENTRAL RAILWAYANA

from Scotland’s east coast at Inverness to the west coast near Fort William, with much of the route being formed by four lochs, Dochfour, Ness, Oich and Lochy. It was constructed

by Thomas Telford, opened in 1822, and is now a scheduled ancient monument that is described

by Scottish Canals as ‘a world of wonders’.

The 1942 map was a poster map of the Grand Union Canal and connecting waterways published by Cook, Hammond and Kell and featuring an enlarged map of the London area. Also in the auction were a circa 1930s London & North Eastern Railway guide book,

Rivers of East Anglia, that sold for £25, a 1935 Great Western Railway Organised outings - River Dart leaflet (£19), and another GWR publication, Quiet Retreats on the River Thames, that went for £17.

Another Great Central Railwayana sale, of 1200 lots held on November 16/17, included an embossed alloy road sign that, while only peripherally canalia, would still look appropriate in a collector’s display. It was from Nottingham’s Canal Street and sold for £85.

The prices quoted for the two Great Central Railwayana auctions exclude buyer’s premium of 15% (+ VAT), and those for Paperchase 12.5%.

ON IRISH WATERS WITH ALISON ALDERTON 63

www.towpathtalk.co.uk February 2024

Celebrating centenary of ship’s ‘re-berth’ IN JANUARY 1922, HMS Caroline limped into Portsmouth, having sailed more than 100,000 miles.

The ship had seen action in the North Sea throughout the First World War and also sailed to countries in the Indian Ocean including Sri Lanka, Burma, India and the Maldives.

This was the last time Caroline would use her engines – not worth the cost of repairs, it seemed the breaker’s yard would be her ultimate destination.

Luckily, the soon-to-beformed Ulster Division of the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve required a drill ship and so Caroline was towed to Belfast, arriving in February 1924.

Join the team at HMS Caroline on Thursday, February 22 for a lecture, The Lucky Seventh – HMS

International award for Titanic Belfast: pictured at the announcement that Titanic Belfast had won the THEA Award for Outstanding Achievement – Visitor Experience Re-envisioned: Limited Budget are Kerrie Sweeney, chief executive of Maritime Belfast Trust; Judith Owens, chief executive of Titanic Belfast and Ellvena Graham, chairman of Tourism Northern Ireland. PHOTO SUPPLIED

HMS Caroline, Titanic Quarter, Belfast. PHOTO: COURTESY OF HMS CAROLINE Caroline and Belfast 19241945, to mark the 100th anniversary of the ship’s arrival in Belfast.

Will Heppa, National Museum of the Royal Navy curator of artefacts, will

explore the early history of the Ulster Division of the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve and look at HMS Caroline’s crucial role in the Second World War. There will also be an opportunity

to see some of the objects featured in the talk on display in the Pump House.

Doors open at 6.30pm.

For more information or to book tickets go to www. nmrn.org.uk

New focus on Blueways

AN AMBITIOUS action plan was recently launched with the focus to drive forward Blueways across the island of Ireland.

Blueways encourage the use of lakes, canals, rivers and sheltered coastal environments for kayaking, canoeing, stand-up paddleboarding, walking and cycling while connecting people with nature and heritage.

The plan is aimed at the low to no-skilled ‘dabbler’ and therefore activity providers, eateries, accommodation and attractions all perform a key role in animating the experience.

The three-year Blueway Partnership Action Plan sets out key actions to ensure the successful development, promotion, management and maintenance of highquality Blueways so that locals and visitors can consistently and sustainably enjoy animated experiences on or close to the water. The Blueway Partnership consists of Fáilte Ireland, Sport Ireland, Waterways Ireland, Sport Northern Ireland and Tourism Northern Ireland who have the stated ambition to grow the network of accredited Blueways from four to 10 by 2025.

To reflect this ambition, a key initial step has been the establishment of new Blueway co-ordinator and development

The Blueways Partnership Action Plan. advisor roles which will provide the dedicated resource required to support the delivery of the Action Plan and the Blueways Partnership. Outdoor Recreation Northern Ireland has been appointed to this role, of which a key component will be to support Blueway developers to achieve official Blueway accreditation. This ensures a consistent high standard from a technical and safety perspective and will deliver best in class sustainable visitor experiences.

There are currently four accredited Blueways in Ireland: Boyne Blueway, Suir Blueway (Tipperary), Lough Derg Blueway and Arranmore-Burtonport Blueway (Donegal).

While a sustained effort to develop more Blueways will remain, the

action plan highlights the need to also support the management, promotion and animation of existing Blueways.

The action plan ensures the Blueway Partnership is well positioned to respond to the growing public demand for quality infrastructure close to water and nature.

Fáilte Ireland research shows that 73% of domestic tourists engaged in outdoor activities, ranging from walking and hiking to swimming, kayaking and canoeing on their most recent overnight trip. In addition, Tourism NI highlights that 34% of adults in Northern Ireland are now more adventurous compared to pre-pandemic.

Titanic Belfast wins international award TITANIC Belfast has scooped a second award from the international association representing leading creators, developers, designers and producers of compelling places and experiences worldwide.

The THEA Award for Outstanding Achievement – Visitor Experience Re-envisioned: Limited Budget was won by the world-leading visitor attraction, having first been recognised by the Themed Entertainment Association (THEA) in 2014 when it won the Visitor Centre Outstanding Achievement Award.

Titanic Belfast is the only winner to have won twice for the same experience re-imagined in the 30-year history of the highly coveted global awards which recognise achievement, talent and personal excellence from those who bring incredible experiences to life for people around the world.

Judith Owens, chief executive of Titanic Belfast, said: “We are absolutely delighted to once again

receive international recognition with our second award from the Themed Entertainment Association. We first won a THEA Award shortly after Titanic Belfast opened and it is apt that this second award is for the re-imagined Titanic Experience which opened in March 2023 following a multi-millionpound refreshment programme. We have introduced four exciting new themed galleries and a stunning new artefact collection, providing our most spectacular visitor experience to date.

“Since opening our doors in 2012, we are proud that Titanic Belfast continues to play a vital role in attracting visitors from around the world to the island of Ireland and this award once again confirms it on the global stage. I would like to thank the fantastic teams across the business for the incredible work they do every day in making the visitor experience at Titanic Belfast truly world class.”

For further information or to book tickets visit titanicbelfast.com

Irish Skipper Expo returns to Limerick High water on the Shannon.

PHOTO: ALISON ALDERTON

Exploring Ireland’s waterways by canoe. PHOTOS: WATERWAYS IRELAND

High water levels and fast flow on Shannon Navigation BOATERS have been advised by Waterways Ireland that high water levels and fast flows exist on the Shannon Navigation.

The second marine notice of 2024 stated that masters of vessels and water users should proceed with additional caution and bear the following in mind when on the water during high water conditions.

• Air draft is reduced under all bridges and power lines • Water velocity is significantly increased • Access to jetties can be difficult as gangways and pontoons are elevated • Navigation markers, pontoons and jetties may be submerged • Mooring lines should be checked regularly if it is safe to do so It was also noted that the following mooring

facilities are closed due to the result of high water levels: • Athlone Downstream Jetty • Ballinasloe Marina • Pollboy Jetties • Shannonbridge Quay • Banagher Harbour • Clonmacnoise Floating Jetties • Victoria Lock Floating Jetties • Reddins Quay (Tuamgraney)

THE Irish Skipper Expo 2024 returns to the UL Sports Arena in Limerick this month with a packed itinerary showcasing the best to be found in the Irish commercial fishing industry.

The annual event, which started in Galway during 2005, recorded a 27% rise in the overall number of visitors last year with more than 140 exhibiting companies from 15 countries worldwide, 30 of which were new companies exhibiting for the first time.

The event, being held over Friday and Saturday, February 23-24, is described as the ideal place for those in the fishing industry to do business, network and keep updated with current trends.

To find out more and book tickets visit: www.irishskipper.ie

64 GREAT OUTDOORS/PETS

February 2024

www.towpathtalk.co.uk

Record species count by Pets on the Cut New Cut group volunteers La-la-la Lola

Words & photo: Alison Wilkerson

ON A dull and cloudy Wednesday morning in late November when most people were setting off to work or getting the children off to school, seven volunteers led by Terry Eagan from the New Cut Heritage and Ecology group were already out on Paddington Meadows in Cheshire.

They thought it would be a normal monthly survey of birdlife on the meadows but to their great surprise they were to count some 46 different species.

This beat the previous monthly record of 44 recorded in spring 2021.

New Cut Bird Group member Terry Eagan said: “The New Cut Heritage and Ecology Trail Group’s volunteers working with Warrington Borough Council officials have helped to create an accessible green space in the midst of urban surroundings for all to enjoy. This exceptional bird count demonstrates what can be achieved when a suitable environment is both improved and cared for.”

Paddington Meadows is a local nature reserve of 30 hectares consisting of flood meadows, wildflower meadows, ancient hedgerows, ‘carrs’ and reed beds. They create an oasis for wildlife surrounded by the River Mersey and the New Cut Canal, both of which once formed part of the Mersey and Irwell Navigation abandoned finally in the 1960s.

Not only was this a record count, but there have been some rare predators recorded in November with the first marsh harrier – very likely a visitor from the

Surprise sighting: little egret in flight. nearby Woolston Eyes Nature Reserve – and the first short-eared owl to be seen on the ‘patch’ since surveys started in 2016.

Magnet for wildlife

There was an unusually high influx of short-eared owls from Europe in the autumn and one of these enigmatic predators has recently taken a liking to the present conditions on the meadows.

A marsh harrier was seen for the first time since surveys started in 2016. PHOTOS: TERRY EAGAN

Environmental factors such as higher than normal rainfall and water tables has created flooded areas on the meadows forcing voles and shrews into the open, where the raptors could feed more easily. The wet conditions have also been to the liking of secretive woodcock, snipe and jack snipe plus several grey heron and a surprise little egret.

The wild carrot seedheads of the recently created wildflower meadow has created the perfect habitat for large flocks of goldfinch and a few pheasant.

Bird species on the British Trust for Ornithology Red List of Birds of Conservation Concern noted during the survey included redpoll (20), greenfinch (3) and the common yet threatened house sparrow (25).

There has been a good crop of hawthorn and holly berries this autumn which has encouraged large flocks of foraging blackbirds, redwings and song thrushes.

If you wish to help out with the group’s friendly work parties, bird and mammal surveys and litter picks contact: Email: info@newcuttrail.com Email: birding@newcuttrail.com www.newcuttrail.com Facebook: New Cut Heritage and Ecology Group

Walking in a winter wonderland Barge Beagle – sniffing out good finds for crews with canines

By Alison Alderton

TOWPATH

TALK

BARGE Beagle likes nothing better than a long walk in clear, frosty weather. Spiders’ webs become bedecked with icy jewels, making them miniature works of art, and the stiff, dried-out husks of last summer’s flowers encrusted with frost stand tall and sparkle like nature’s own magic wands.

One of the delights associated with these weather conditions is the fantastic image of hoar frost hanging from trees and undergrowth. The term hoar frost comes from the old English word hoar and refers to the ‘old age’ appearance of the frost; the way the ice crystals form makes it look like white hair or a beard.

Not that any of this is of interest

year. A fellow boat owner, whom he had seen many times walking Lola on the towpath, walked past one day and advised he had to rehome her immediately, as she was biting.

Steve was not actually looking for a dog, having lost his previous one just three months prior, but could not resist as she obviously urgently needed a new home. He took her into her new narrowboat home which is wonderful, as adopting a pet is so rewarding; we too have just adopted two RSPCA rescue dogs.

A year on, she is so much better but prefers to be off lead when moored up as she’s obviously a free spirit. However, he does put her on a lead when walking and in locks as there has been one near accident in such a place which reminds us how dangerous they can be. When cruising, though, she either sits on the stern with Steve or has a snooze inside, which sounds ideal to me.

Luckily she now seems to get on with dogs, people and ignores/ avoids cats. Lola eats both dry and wet food but would not touch raw, which many dogs seems to eat nowadays. Her favourite toy is a cuddly dog that she came with.

Ken Norman continues his series of frivolous bird cartoons which he creates while relaxing on board his narrowboat Daedalus.

Barge Beagle in flight.

Right: Frost-covered teasel. to Barge Beagle; he just loves to run through the undergrowth, spraying showers of frost around him and chasing some delicious scent!

Walking from Hazelford Lock, one of Barge Beagle’s favourite winter haunts, across the footbridge from Nabbs Island, it is possible to follow a circuit either upstream or downstream of several miles. Upstream, following the Trent Valley Way, passing through typical Trent Valley

From just £19 QUOTING: TPT04

Jack Russell terrier Lola.

A play on birds

GUARANTEE DELIVERY TEL: 01507 529529

HAVING owned our little narrowboat for more than nine years, we do tend to bump (not literally) into familiar boats, people and their pets, which is lovely, especially if you’ve not seen them for a while.

For example, liveaboards tend to move to a different area in the winter or pleasure cruisers disappear all over the place in the summer months. Spotting a familiar face can also be extremely useful and reassuring especially if you have any problems with your boat, need to borrow items or just need a natter and a cuppa – with a biscuit to dunk, of course!

One such familiar boat is a 62ft Black Prince narrowboat built in 2000 and powered by a Kubota 35bhp engine, owned by Steve, who is the dad of a former colleague (hello Harriet, long time no see). He has lived aboard his boat (his first) for 14 years and prior to purchasing and living aboard his boat, he had not been on one before but looked at many before settling on his current one which was purchased in Crick.

We only see his boat a few times a year when cruising past to a rendezvous which tends to be a canalside pub and we don’t disturb him, especially if no one is about.

However, on this occasion he was about with a friend, working at the stern with the hatch open and looking at the engine bay which seems to be a common sight on the cut. He also had a little Jack Russell terrier dog trotting around and had time for a quick chat.

He said his dog was called Lola and was about nine years old although he had only had her a

Togged up for a frosty walk.

Hoar frost by the river. clapper gates, leads to Boat Lane where a minor road heads inland towards the Nottinghamshire village of Bleasby. Taking the first available left turn leads past a small trout lake and further on a well-used footpath cuts back across fields to the river.

Turning north here and heading downstream soon leads back to Hazelford.

Downstream, a footpath crossing a crop field cuts off a river loop before heading across a meadow skirting Holme Dyke to the Trent Valley Way. Here you can look across the Trent to the site of one of the bloodiest battles in English history. The battle of Stoke Field took place on June 16, 1487 and is the last battle of the infamous Wars of the Roses. The area opposite is drained by the Red Gutter ditch, so called for its grisly reputation as having run red with

the blood of the 7000 rebel soldiers killed in the rout and aftermath of the battle.

A short distance further on is the riverside village of Fiskerton, where The Bromley public house, named after Lord Bromley of East Stoke Hall, is under new management. This is just the right place to stop for a well-earned rest and where Barge Beagle can fall asleep under your chair dreaming of running far and wide across riverside meadows!

Right: Hazelford Lock cut in winter.

PHOTOS: ALISON ALDERTON

SCOTTISH WATERS with Cicely Oliver 65

www.towpathtalk.co.uk February 2024

Forty-two years and counting for Scottish Canals’ George McBurnie

Scottish Canals’ senior project manager, George McBurnie, has been working for the organisation in its various guises for a little over 42 years...

GEORGE joined what was then the UK-wide national organisation, British Waterways (BW), on June 21, 1981, having previously served in the army.

He was based at Broxburn on the Union Canal and his initial job, on his very first day, was pulling weed from a culvert beneath the M8 motorway. After a day spent outdoors, George knew that his new job would be a welcome breath of fresh air after leaving the army and serving in Northern Ireland.

Back in 1981, 20 years before the reopening of the Lowland Canals, the remit for BW in Scotland and the Lowland Canals operations team was keeping the infrastructure watertight.

They were dealing with redundant and remaindered waterways with no future, and there was no appetite for developing the canals into something that could deliver benefits to Scotland’s citizens, never mind people from elsewhere.

The Union Canal was officially closed to navigation in 1965 and had been culverted at Broxburn and Wester Hailes to facilitate road building. George says that at times the canal was more reminiscent of a bowling green with its thick, green covering of duckweed. At that time, George spent most of his time out and about on what remained of the canal, stopping leaks and cutting back vegetation.

He also learnt about the canal’s heritage with the 62 stone-built bridges of the Union needing maintenance.

George learnt about pointing and heritage mortar mixes, and evidence of the canal’s long history with the visible deep scoring on the bridge abutments, made by the constant rubbing of the tow ropes used by the early horse-drawn boats. Although George uses the analogy of ‘a finger in the dyke’ he felt fortunate to be involved in the care of Scotland’s historic canals.

From 1971, when the Scottish Inland Waterways Association was formed, through the 70s and 80s campaigning momentum grew for the restoration and reopening of the Lowland Canals (the Caledonian and Crinan canals remained open to navigation).

Painting the Falkirk Wheel.

George in a dewatered lock chamber at Fort Augustus on the Caledonian Canal.

The Millennium Link project was announced in 1994 and the work of bringing the Forth & Clyde and Union Canals back to life (and navigation) and reconnecting them began.

George felt privileged to be involved with the project. With his experience on the Union, George was tasked with the heritage restoration, including the weirs, aqueducts and bridges. This brought the opportunity for much more learning as George discovered more about how these historic structures were engineered, environmental considerations and the detail needed such as bat surveys. This project management was a big step for him and he recalls how everyone came together to make the link a success.

George beside an old lock gate removed from Fort Augustus on the Caledonian Canal.

Lock chambers had to be restored on the Forth & Clyde, and lock gates replaced. BW Scotland worked with its colleagues south of the border and new lock gates for the 40 Forth & Clyde locks were constructed at the Stanley Ferry workshop near Wakefield.

As well as the repair and reconstruction of the surviving heritage, there was much to be done to reinstate the two canals, not least a new section of the Union Canal beyond the site of the original line of locks in Falkirk to the site of the new Falkirk Wheel. It was impossible to reconstruct the flight of locks that had originally stretched up to the Union from the Forth & Clyde, and reinstating locks was not considered sufficiently visionary in the heady days of the Millennium Link project.

The solution, the unique Falkirk Wheel, not only answered the practical problem of moving boats between the two canals but has become a leading destination in its own right, with visitors from all over the world.

George moved from restoration to managing the new construction needed to reinstate the Union Canal through Wester Hailes to the Edinburgh terminus. Seven new road bridges were constructed alongside new footbridges, the towpath and lighting.

In 2002 the Falkirk Wheel opened to reconnect the Lowland canals. The success of the Millennium Link was George’s ‘big bang’. Next, he worked as a site engineer, encamped with partners Balfour Beatty, on the construction of the new Queen Elizabeth II Canal.

Dressed up as Nessie (the life of a senior project manager is a varied one!).

Lock gate inspection on the Forth & Clyde Canal. ALL PHOTOS: GEORGE

The QEII Canal was built to improve navigation on to the canal from the River Forth. George was fortunate to be able to see the birth of the Kelpies as they were constructed beside the new lock connecting the new canal to the Forth & Clyde.

George then headed north to work on the Caledonian lock gate replacement programme, whille also focusing on the Crinan. He covered a lot of miles working between the two canals but genuinely enjoyed the experience and working in the Highlands.

The Caledonian locks are large, deep locks: the Fort August lock chambers each hold 5160m3, more water than two

Olympic swimming pools combined.

George was proud to be working in the footsteps of the great 19th-century canal engineers, Thomas Telford and William Jessop.

He clearly remembers tracing the original masons’ marks still visible in the lock chamber walls, which made the hairs on the back of his neck stand up.

The emptied chambers are so huge, that they’ve been described as cathedrallike and are a testament to the skills and dedication of those who worked on them.

Most recently George has been part of the technical team working on Stockingfield Bridge, the new bridge linking communities across the Forth & Clyde Canal at Stockingfield Junction.

Stockingfield Bridge illustrates some of the changes taking place across Scotland’s canal network – not only the construction of the bridge itself (although modern steelwork, landscaping and artwork make for a striking picture) – but in providing a focus on active travel (such as walking and cycling), place-making (creating features that are destinations in their own right) and working closely with local communities. Stockingfield has resident artists delivering community artwork projects. Anyone (and thousands already have) can turn up and decorate a tile that will be installed on the bridge. George is often asked to undertake site visits with schools and the children always get excited about the canals. George remembers a colleague saying that they should consider not what the canals are for, but who they’re for and this has stuck with him.

These days George’s time is spent on project management, planning, funding and working with stakeholders, contractors and designers to ensure Scottish Canals is targeting the right priorities to maintain the heritage, develop the canals and their surroundings, and futureproof the canal system for another 200 years.

As he says, today’s actions will be judged by future generations and he’d like the future to say that we got it right.

George himself fished the Union Canal as a boy and today uses the towpath for exercise and dog walks.

He still enjoys the fresh air and working in such beautiful environments … and, he tells me, has only fallen into the canal six times in his long career on the waterways!

Community-decorated tiling around the base of the pylon supporting Stockingfield Bridge.

The first Kelpie steelwork being erected (the head-down Kelpie, Duke).

MCBURNIE

66 DAYS OUT

February 2024

www.towpathtalk.co.uk

Wildlife info board – what can you spot?

Trent & Mersey canal near the lift.

Anderton Boat Lift

Anderton boat lift, a sight to behold.

This series picks locations for great days out near some very special canal highlights, anything from the perfect spot for gongoozling (watching boating activities) to an idyllic towpath stroll past extraordinary waterways heritage sightseeing, or perhaps a short boat trip and even a bit of souvenir shopping. The canals are full of heritage and engineering wonders, and are also a calm haven for a wide diversity of wildlife and birds. You’ll also see boats on the move and breathe the balm of water in rustling green surroundings.

Words & images – Coolcanals: Phillippa Greenwood & Martine O’Callaghan

THE incredible Anderton Boat Lift is the world’s oldest operational boat lift, known as the Cathedral of the Canals and the visitor needs no explanation.

Built in 1875 by Edward Leader Williams and Edwin Clark, its purpose was to lift boats over the 50ft cliff edge between the Trent & Mersey Canal and the River Weaver below. In the early 18th century Cheshire’s salt industry was set to boom in world markets and businessmen were crying out for a speedier trade route. Prior to the lift, salt was hurled clumsily down wooden chutes to land on boats, known as weaver flats, in the water below and then relayed downstream.

A masterpiece of engineering was set to defy the drop and duly, with dynamic Victorian eccentricity, an Eiffel-esque

structure of knitted ironwork was erected to tower over the River Weaver.

Ironically the very salt industry that gave the world an ironwork treasure also led to its closure, as salt in the River Weaver polluted the lift’s hydraulics and corrosion took over. Finally in 1983 Anderton Boat Lift was closed, thwarted by a lack of funding.

Canal enthusiasts were determined to keep this treasure alive and set about a tangled Meccano game of manly proportions. More than 3000 pieces of ironwork were dismantled, cleaned and reassembled prior to its reopening in 2002. This iron beauty, a staggering monument of maths and art, is one of the wonders of the canals and every year attracts thousands of visitors from across the world.

Trip boat Edwin Clark coming out on to the River Weaver.

ANGLING 67

www.towpathtalk.co.uk February 2024

The Towpath Angler Our monthly look at the angling scene

LAST January I made special mention of the increasing problem of overstaying boats. Sad to say, one year on the problem seems to be no better. In addition to this, a worrying number of the emails I receive from the Canal & River Trust’s angling club customers relate to mooring issues generally.

Of course some of these arise from the lack of knowledge across the wider user community about priorities on certain mooring sites while others, more seriously, arise from boaters attempting to moor across anglers who are actually fishing and, needless to say, the old chestnut of the 5m spacing between moored boats continues to cause immense problems and on an increasing scale.

Despite all the meetings and subsequent promises made about the implementation of this simple rule, little has changed. Indeed things have probably got a whole lot worse. I am hearing reports now of boaters tying ropes across the 5m gaps to prevent anglers fishing.

Each angling club using the canals has to comply with a specially drafted agreement in which is set out numerous terms and conditions and obligations for both the trust and the angling club in particular. These include evidence of significant public liability insurance, bona fide health and safety provisions in addition to having to pay an annual rental in order to allow its members to fish the designated canal sections.

Angling still remains the only activity, other than boating, which has this burden.

All of this therefore strongly supports the case that anglers should be able to enjoy their chosen sport providing this is carried out in a legal manner and causing no forfeiture of rights to others and this should not be subject to interference.

Let us not forget either that the 1968 Transport Act which very clearly set out an obligation for the then British Waterways and now Canal & River Trust to provide for angling along its waterways still applies.

A fabulous feat of engineering.

A tranquil day on Anderton Marina.

Pulling together

Top entrance to the lift from Trent & Mersey Canal.

Roll of honour to all who helped with the lift’s restoration.

FACT FILE Anderton Boat Lift

The Anderton Boat Lift (and its surroundings) is a scheduled ancient monument and has been awarded a Transport Trust Red Wheel Plaque.

The boat lift is impressive enough from the ground but it’s possible to take a one-hour boat trip and get a boat’s eye view from inside the lift. Edwin Clark is a glass-topped trip boat carrying passengers 50 feet between the Trent & Mersey Canal and the River Weaver. www.andertonboatlift.co.uk www.nationaltransporttrust.org.uk How does it work?

Two humungous 252-ton caissons (tanks), with sealing doors, perch on ingeniously linked hydraulic rams which make the descending tank force the ram under the other tank to lift it in equal measure to the descending tank. In doing so, the steam-powered boat lift is operated with maximum economy. With a steam engine and pump, the hydraulics

could lift a 72ft, 60-ton narrowboat from canal to river in less than 10 minutes.

Location

Anderton, Northwich OS Grid ref: SJ647753 Canal: Trent & Mersey Canal/River Weaver How to get there By train

Nearest train station is Northwich National Rail Enquiries 08457 484950

• ABC Boat Hire, Anderton Marina www.abcboathire.com • Andersen Boats, Middlewich www. andersenboats.com • Black Prince Narrowboat Holidays, Acton Bridge www.black-prince.com Boat Trips:

• Edwin Clark, Anderton Boat Lift www.andertonboatlift.co.uk Moorings

Traveline 0871 200 2233

There are plenty of visitor moorings available along the Trent & Mersey Canal, and below on the River Weaver

Car park near the boat lift (charge)

Local tourist information

By bus By car

On foot

The Cheshire Ring Canal Walk is a long-distance trail which follows the towpaths of six canals including the Trent & Mersey towpath through the area near the boat lift.

By boat

Nearest boat hire:

• Northwich tourist information www.visitnorthwich.co.uk www.visitcheshire.com Canal & River Trust

Use the Canal & River Trust website to find specific local information www.canalrivertrust.org.uk

I have regularly said that we ALL need to accept that use of the waterways (including towpaths) must be shared. No one sector of the user community should assume they have a divine right to exclusivity.

There is evidence that this does work here and there but for me the situation has deteriorated since the face-to-face local user forums disappeared. Local users from across the spectrum knew each other and, very importantly, often worked together to resolve all manner of issues.

Of course, I fully appreciate the difficult position the trust is in at this time but I am confident that it will come through successfully. However all users must pull together in order to help make this happen and I firmly believe that the re-introduction of those forums would help provide the platform for this collaboration and

David Kent

partnership working to be re-established and so resolve many of these troublesome local issues and, in turn, show solidarity to those who may be scrutinising the trust.

The start of a new year sees an increase in momentum in the preparations for the upcoming big angling events.

Angling Trust is especially busy already with the soon-to-be fished finals of the 2023/2024 Winter Leagues. Also its Divisional National Championships and their associated events, scheduled for August and September, will both be held on canals this year.

Division 1 is due to make a return to the Leeds & Liverpool in the Wigan area while Division 2 will take place on the big South Yorkshire canals, the Aire & Calder and New Junction. If my conversations with a few anglers who expect to be taking part are anything to go by the sense of anticipation is pretty great. Arrangements for the CRT’s Canal Pairs Championship and the famous Celebration event are also at an advanced stage.

Waterlogged

Following such a wet autumn and early winter many venues are flooded or extremely waterlogged at best, making access difficult even on a number of the commercial fisheries. I did not hear many reports leading up to Christmas although anglers fishing sheltered pegs seemingly did not do too badly.

I understand the Shroppie has retained some decent form and continues to be the venue of choice for many canal anglers.

Most rivers have been pretty much top of the bank for weeks so have seen very few anglers recently. A good friend fished a pre-Christmas silver-fish only match on a local commercial. He was one of seven anglers who drew on the sheltered side of the lake and all of them caught well; 24lb was the best weight. He had 15lb-odd.

Personally, I fished just three times in December. On one occasion I got my tactics totally wrong and did not weigh in. On another (I was the organiser) due to circumstances beyond my control I did not start fishing until an hour and a half into the match. Not surprisingly I never truly settled. I finished with 13lb knowing that, had things been different, I could probably have won my lake. The third match I found the fish very late and finished second on my lake.

In closing I would like to wish you all a happy, safe and prosperous new year. Oh! and, of course, tight lines.

New manager at Blythe Waters

THE Canal & River Trust has announced the licence to manage its Blythe Waters Fishery in Solihull has been awarded to Trevor Bowcott after a competitive tender process.

He has significant experience in fisheries management, both within the angling club arena where he is currently secretary of the PERLS angling club and in commercial fishery ventures where he previously managed Northgate Fishery in Staffordshire. He is also the current secretary of the mid-Trent Fisheries Consultative.

Trevor, who took up his appointment on January 1, will

work in partnership with CRT on the management of the fishery, including several initiatives designed to expand the appeal of the site.

Initial investment will include the reinstatement of fish stocks in Blythe Waters’ Bridge Pool within the next couple of months and the reopening of the on-site cafe building by Easter.

The venue will also stock ancillary fishing tackle items.

The fishery’s Bridge, Willow and Cherries pools are all ideal venues for club match bookings which are now being taken for 2024 and 2025.

To contact Trevor for more information, call 07486 522531.

68 WET WEB/NEWS

February 2024

The Wet Web

By Helen Gazeley

WITH the increasing interest in electric vehicles and despite a question mark over the drawbacks of EVs – from the future viability of the supply of raw materials to the likelihood of a car being completely written off in an impact when there is the slightest risk of damage to the battery pack – there’s no doubt that electric charging points are high on the priority list for sustainable transport.

And not only for cars. Midlands Connect (www.midlandsconnect.uk) is one of England’s eight regional transport bodies, with board members drawn from city and county councils, local enterprise partnerships and Network Rail, among others. They look for transport projects

that will provide the biggest economic, social and environmental benefits both to the Midlands and the rest of the UK. In the expectation that electric boats will provide the mainstay of narrowboating in the coming decades, they are researching the infrastructure that needs to be put in place.

Quoted in the Malvern Gazette, Bharat Pathania, head of new technologies, said: “All forms of transport are evolving to become more sustainable and this will include our canals. Our aim is to identify the building blocks which need to be in place. Securing a future where diesel or solid fuel sources are no longer the norm will boost the air quality for boaters and everyone using these important waterways.”

Midlands Connect aims to find all the locations of chargers that currently exist on the Worcester & Birmingham Canal, the Droitwich Canal and the Staffordshire & Worcestershire Canal (most are currently in marinas and on a few permanent moorings). They will then research what’s required to create a comprehensive network of charging points by 2040.

www.towpathtalk.co.uk

The London Museum of Water and Steam is located in what was the Kew Bridge Waterworks. It is urgently seeking funds to keep going and donations may be sent via the website.

Right direction

This is certainly a step in the right direction for electric narrowboats. As the IWA’s Vision for Sustainable Propulsion pointed out in its report (first published in 2020) refuelling is an economic and logistical problem, rather than a technical one, with private boat owners unwilling to invest in electric boating until the infrastructure exists, and commercial suppliers not willing to invest in the infrastructure until the boaters are there to use it.

Obviously numerous charging points aren’t going to appear soon in the Midlands, so the results of a meeting last November between the Department for Transport, Crown Oil and members of the IWA and Royal Yachting Association from the Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO) Joint Working Group are particularly encouraging.

HVO has the advantage of reducing boaters’ carbon emissions by around 90% and the Joint Working Group has prevailed in its case, and the Government has now made it possible for the HVO industry to supply inland waterway vessels without violating excise regulations.

The hold-up in reaching this decision hung on

Young visitors examine the mysteries of steam at the award-winning industrial museum in Brentford.

PHOTOS: LONDON MUSEUM OF WATER AND STEAM

GUARANTEE DELIVERY

TPT delivered to your door for only £1.67 an issue Issue 171, January 2020

TALK

all waterways users

TOWPATH

read for FREE The UK’s Number ONE

96 PAGES

FREE INSIDE

2020 YEAR PLANNER YOUNG VOLUNTEER EARNS AWARD

Winter waters

P3

NEW APPEAL FOR PRESIDENT

P4

NARROWBOAT’S UNUSUAL CARGO

p24

Narrowboats moored on the Leeds

West & Liverpool Canal at Parbold, W

By Janet Richardson

BOAT TREKKER AT FINAL FRONTIER

P25

FOR BREAKING NEWS & BOATS FOR SALE visit our website

www.towpathtalk.co.uk

ATS FOR SALE A BOATS Starts on

P63

COLIN WAREING Lancashire in January 2019. PHOTO:

eams for 2019 are revealed k’s TTop TTeams T k’s Towpath Talk a s, we bid farewell awn AS A new decade dawn t th to 2019 with the results of our Towpath op Team award which has been Top kT Talk r r. running throughout the year.

With four teams shortlisted for the final with vote it was a veryy close-run contest t volunteers ty the Grantham Canal Society taking the title by a short head.

Such was the support also for from Crusader Community Boating first Blisworth that we are awarding our a rd – something Community Boat awa f the we had alreadyy been planning for r r. coming year. of Commended are the Friends the River Nene and the Waterways Chaplaincy’s Martin and Fiona Buck.

Award presentations to our finalists

r The r. will take place in the new year. off a winning team receives the hire day boat carrying up to 10 people, generously sponsored by ABC Leisure Group Ltd. The runner-up will receive a £100 voucher to spend at Midland four Chandlers at Braunston and all donation finalists will receive a £100 towards their volunteering organisation the from Mortons Media Group Ltd,

alk.

Tal tth T publisher of Towpath Our thanks go to the readers who rose of to the challenge of finding a group aave gone that extra unsung heroes who have f their local stretch off towpath, mile for a association or ays canal or river, waterways a our judging ave community boat – and gave the panel a difficult job of shortlisting four finalists.

• Continued on page 2

found on a boat moored Ouse bodies t achievemen f nd 100-dayCommunity of two men were fou probe Action Network (UCAN) THE bodies Boats gunshot were called UPPERMILL Y k city centre. Emergency services after starting in Yor investigating damage to narrowboats POLICE are Officers were after gunshots were fired in Cambridge. a December 5, at around 10.15pm, ay, called on Thursday, f m shots fro after nearbyy residents reported hearing near boats on the what was believed to be an air rifle the window of one River Cam. Photographs off holes in a since been published. One resident ave of the boats have Chesterton the told reporters thatt shots, coming from moored at Browns side of the river, were fired at boats five about for on Field, Fen Ditton, and this went no injuries were minutes. Cambridgeshire Police said reported and enquiries were continuing.

achieved its 100-day volunteering milestone 2300 hours of out in 2015. This included more than who, according voluntary work achieved by local people to, crafting to UCAN, “care about, and are committed environment”. and maintaining our beautiful local and for the positive Thanks were given to all supporters, work parties will feedback from the community. The next 8 and 20. The usual be on January 4 and 23, and February on Moorgate meeting point is 10am at the canal bridge Killan on 01457 Street but this can change. Contact Peter 878361 or peterkillan@hotmail.com

at around 8pm to Lendal Bridge on the River Ouse said officers on December 4. North Yorkshire Police f two men for attended “after concerns were raised with their touch in their 60s who had been out of bodies. Fire .” Upon arrival officers found the family.”

The deaths and ambulance services both attended. although did were being treated as ‘unexplained’ a post-mortem not appear to be suspicious and The men had not examination was due to take place. alk went to press.

Tal tth T been identified when Towpath

11/12/2019 10:17:16

To save you having to track down a copy every month, take advantage of our special offer

Delivery from just £20

the fact that boaters often use fuel for both travelling and heating, with implications for duty paid. Now it won’t be necessary to work out the proportions of fuel used for each purpose, which should open up the market considerably. To help it further, the Joint Working Group will continue to press Government for more affordable HVO. Finally, where would propulsion be without its earlier incarnation? The award-winning London Museum of Water and Steam, at Brentford on the River Thames, has a place on the European Route of

Industrial Heritage and houses the world’s largest collection of working Cornish engines.

Visitor numbers, though, have not returned to pre-Covid levels, while the price of insurance and utilities has risen considerably. The museum is making an urgent appeal for funds to keep going, and also aims to develop ways to become more environmentally friendly: something that could be helpful to other industrial museums.

You can find out more and donate on its website https://waterandsteam.org.uk

Towpaths for Everyone policy launched THE Canal & River Trust has issued a policy document setting out how towpaths can be sustainably used, managed and made more accessible for the benefit of all.

Alongside the canals’ core use for boating and angling, the Towpaths for Everyone policy outlines the key role they play in public life, including as part of a nationwide active travel network.

Developed in partnership with representatives of the users of the canal system together with Active Travel England, Sustrans and Sport England, the policy sets out how the trust, partners and towpath visitors can all play their part in ensuring towpaths remain the nation’s greatest linear green spaces, providing vital access to nature through towns and cities and links to the countryside.

To help ensure people share the often-limited towpath space and that they remain safe and welcoming places for all, Towpaths for Everyone

has a code of conduct for visitors. This includes cyclists and runners respecting the slowest-moving people on the towpath as well as those accessing the water space, such as boaters and anglers.

Heather Clarke, director at the Canal & River Trust, said: “While our historic canals are still navigated by boats much as they were at the height of the Industrial Revolution, today’s canals and their towpaths have also been repurposed for modern society.

“They are increasingly popular spaces for walking, running, cycling and angling as well as serving boaters and those accessing other on-water activities such as canoeing and paddleboarding.

Last year saw more than 800 million visits to our canals, with people experiencing the daily mental and physical benefits of spending time in nature and by the water. With towpaths more popular than at any time in history, we face challenges in balancing the

This great deal means you will pay just £1.67 for your copy to be delivered to your home.

That’s cheaper than chips!

Call 01507 529529

QUOTE OFFER CODE: TPT05

www.classicmagazines.co.uk/TPT05

Towpaths are increasingly popular spaces for walking and other activities. PHOTO: JANET RICHARDSON

needs of all the people who use them, while protecting their special waterway character, heritage and environment.

As our ageing network faces increased pressures from government funding cuts and climate change-driven damage, it is more important than ever to secure investment from third parties to keep these much-loved spaces open and accessible.”

As well as setting out towpath design principles, the policy document includes examples of how it works with partners to access third party funding for improvement programmes that make the towpaths easier and safer to use year-round. It lays the groundwork for continuing this transformative work, setting out the value of the investment to partners such as local authorities and Sustrans, as well as to wider society, with the canals bringing a £1.1 billion cost saving each year to the NHS due to people being active along its waterways and towpaths.

The policy also builds on the trust’s experience of previous towpath schemes by helping to ensure that future improvements deliver benefits for a wide range of canal and towpath users, including use of the navigation and creating more accessible moorings.

The policy replaces the existing Towpath Policy and Towpath Design Guide.

It can be found here: Towpaths for Everyone | Canal & River Trust (canalrivertrust.org.uk)

TALKBACK 69

www.towpathtalk.co.uk February 2024 Your chance to write to us on any towpath topic: Towpath Talk, PO Box 99, Horncastle, Lincs LN9 6LZ or email editorial@towpathtalk.co.uk

Festive display on historic bridge

What will be the greenest option?

As part of our ongoing series of interviews, Robert Parton, managing director of Aqueduct Marina and president-elect of British Marine, talks to Phil Pickin about decarbonisation and how the leisure marine industry can approach this issue.

Rudolph and friends on the Horseley iron bridge at the entrance to Braunston Marina.

I WAS delighted to see my display of poppies on the Braunston marina bridge (News, Issue 218, December 2023) featured in your newspaper.

I would like to note that they are not crocheted, but that I make them from

waterproof ripstop fabric.

I thought you might like to see last year’s Christmas efforts featuring Rudolph and friends.

Fran Haynes By email

Damage caused

by Storm Babet at Blue Bank Lock on the Leicester Line of the Grand Union Canal.

PHOTO: CRT

Climate change is not the only factor I DO think you should put the Canal & River Trust’s chief executive’s comments into context (News, Issue 218, December 2023).

The canal has – as correctly noted – been used for 250+ years.

However during that time it has had all sorts of extreme weather and storms with any resulting damage, including general ‘wear and tear’.

However to blame

Storm Babet and damage to the canal on ‘climate change’ needs some justification and back-up facts to show it is solely just due to climate change.

The extra costs he refers to are a combination of many things but mainly due to continued battering by ‘normal’ weather patterns over 250 years and not just to recent storms whether due to climate change or not – all debatable.

But to make your heading as it was without any study of the canal or the causes of damage is rather dramatic and could be very misleading.

Perhaps the words ‘partly due’ would have been sufficient as more damage will be caused by all sorts of regular and irregular weather over the next 250 years! Getting old also comes with a cost.

Ken Hodcroft Newcastle upon Tyne

SHORTLY before we tackled this important issue, ICOMIA (International Council of Marine Industry Associations) released the findings of an important and wideranging report titled The Pathways to Propulsion Decarbonisation for the Recreational Marine Industry.

This soon became a topic of conversation at British Marine’s Inland Conference 2023, with delegates voicing their concern as to how they were going to play their part in tackling climate change while continuing to run viable businesses.

With COP 28 delegates now stating their intention to transition away from fossil fuels, how does Robert see the future of his industry?

Is converting existing boats to 100% electric the way forward?

“Moving directly to 100% electric is not currently viable for a number of reasons. As the ICOMIA report makes very clear, even if the boating community could afford to convert their boats, the carbon cost of scrapping thousands of diesel engines and manufacturing and installing new batteries together with their motors would be higher than the CO2 savings from moving to electric propulsion.”

Robert added: “Most privately owned marine diesel engines only run for a few hundred hours per year. As a result, they will often last for 30-40 years, so a solution needs to be implemented that takes into account this lifespan.

“For the vast majority of existing boats, that solution is the use of HVO (hydrotreated vegetable oil) fuel. This is the most logical solution, but only if diesel fuel replacements, referred to as drop-in fuels in the report, are produced using recycled products or using green power to be produced.

“With so many industrial demands for replacement diesel

An HVO tank at Aqueduct Marina.

PHOTOS: PHIL PICKIN

What will be the fuel of choice? fuel – for example, agriculture and transportation – supply will be exhausted. There’s no point in cutting down the Amazon rainforest to grow crops to produce HVO fuel.

There is also currently no UK-based production facility. As a result, supply is already very restrictive in parts of the country.”

HVO fuel has been available to the boating community for some time now, and you have been offering it to your customers for over a year, so what has take-up been like?

“We’ve been selling HVO for between 12-18 months, and we now have a number of returning customers who are happy to pay the additional cost to play their part in reducing carbon while benefiting from the reduction of diesel bug.

“The existing boating public are gradually becoming more aware of HVO, but for it to become widely used, the price premium needs to be reduced, and a campaign to reassure boat owners that it is as safe a product to use as red diesel.

“But in the coming weeks, we will

also be able to supply hydrogen to our customers. The demand is likely to be very low. There are now a couple of manufacturers in the marketplace selling hydrogen systems, and it is possible that a few people will experiment with this approach. But hydrogen, according to the ICOMIA report, feels like it is some way behind the electric propulsion as a green option unless the boat owner has very deep pockets.”

Do you see any other issues with the transition to zero carbon emissions?

“Yes, these new technologies will need new skills; as a result, new boats using 100% electric, hydrogen, or any other low carbon propulsion systems need a new generation of technicians to both fit and maintain them, and currently, the existing predominantly marine diesel engineers are not equipped to install and maintain these new systems.

“As a result, there is a shortage of suitably qualified staff. We are already seeing new electric canal boats in the water, with components that are not operating as intended, often in my view, as a result of a lack of technical knowledge around the electrics and electronics involved. So efforts need to be made to train the next generation of engineers to cope with the new technologies that we will see in the future.”

70 LAST WORD

February 2024

www.towpathtalk.co.uk

Is anyone taking bets on the weather for the coming season?

Words & photo: Phil Pickin

WE BRITS are known the world over for our love of talking about the weather, but it only takes a quick look back over the past couple of years to see why we are so fascinated by the subject.

Although ‘one swallow does not a summer make’, it is widely accepted that climate change is impacting our weather, so the question is: what can we expect over the coming years? After all, low water levels and restrictions were on the cards for the summer of 2023, but with 200% of normal rain falling in some areas, stocks were quickly replenished.

In fact, the much-needed rainfall did seem to put a damper on many plans to get out on the water, with figures showing that 2023 was a quieter summer than usual on the system. This was a far cry from the record-breaking summer in 2022 when temperatures hit 32.7C. But 2023 wasn’t a complete washout, even if it felt like it at times. I can personally vouch for the fact that the Braunston Historic Narrowboat Festival in late June was hot – very hot! This made for a great weekend, but it wasn’t long after this that our yo-yo weather had a more sinister impact.

Shortly after, the Canal & River Trust started to run pumps on the Grand Union Canal at Knowle in an attempt

to get oxygen back into the water and save the fish stocks. Even my local large pond in the midst of an urban estate saw the Environment Agency install a similar pump to try and save the fish.

Contributory factor

Although hot weather isn’t the only reason for the reduction in oxygen levels, it does seem to be a major contributory factor, so we asked CRT and EA what their plans were should this happen again (which is highly likely).

When asked what measures EA has put in place to help fish stocks, fisheries manager Graeme Storey told us: “Responding to fish in distress and fish kills is part of the Environment Agency’s service to protect fish stocks and the fisheries they support. We can deliver our service on all waters where fishing takes place. This includes rivers, stillwaters and canals, both private or open to the public. This is funded by the fishing licence.

“EA staff are trained to use aeration equipment and provide expert management advice to help restore dissolved oxygen levels and reduce potential risks and escalation. In extreme cases, and where it doesn’t pose additional risks, the Environment Agency will rescue and transfer fish to a safe environment.”

CRT pumps in use at Knowle Locks on the Grand Union Canal.

When asked about the future and the likelihood of similar problems, Mr Storey replied: “There are two factors at play here, increasing temperatures and extreme rainfall events acting in combination with underlying pressures on the aquatic environment. If global temperatures continue to rise and stay higher for longer periods, this will cause ongoing challenges for wild fish populations and fisheries.

These events will almost certainly lead to an increased need for the deployment of emergency aeration equipment.”

Finally, we asked him if there are any long-term solutions to the problems of

reduced oxygen levels in the waterways and if the EA are working to put these in place. “Good fisheries management and preparedness by fishery owners to recognise and respond to adverse conditions will prevent many fish kills from happening or escalating.

“We encourage all fishery owners to invest in their own equipment and facilities to safeguard their stocks, including having access to aerators and oxygen meters. We are available to provide advice and guidance where this is needed and, where available and appropriate, provide aeration support.”

We also approached CRT to ask if the trust feels that there are likely to be more instances of this in the years to come and if there is anything more that can be done to overcome this problem. A spokesperson told us: “We recognise the global trends for more extreme weather events, so it’s likely our waterways will see an increase in the volume and extremity of incidents going forward.

“We are reviewing the way in which we respond, in particular exploring with the EA and our fisheries management contractor the use of the deployment of compounds that release hydrogen

Licence increases signal hardship ahead for some boaters Words & photo: Colin Wareing

WITH the Canal & River Trust announcement that boat licence fees will rise above inflation for the next five years, the National Association of Boat Owners (NABO) has expressed concerns that there could be hardship ahead for some boat owners.

While many boaters have retired on a good pension, have sold houses to afford to live aboard or are gainfully employed, there are still a good number who are relying on the state pension or limited benefits to sustain themselves.

We went to see Ken Hylins, who is the welfare officer for NABO, aboard his own narrowboat Murphy, moored

on the Leeds & Liverpool Canal in West Lancashire.

He has held this post since 2016 when his wife became disabled and they felt that they were not getting the support from CRT that they could have.

Since Ken was sadly widowed, he has worked on behalf of boaters who get in touch with him with their worries.

He has built up a good range of contacts of people and agencies that can help folks who are struggling and is quite happy to use

NABO welfare officer Ken Hylins on board his narrowboat Murphy.

the legal system to fight for people’s rights.

Real problems

While understanding CRT has got to do something to raise more money, Ken feels that there are real problems coming for some boaters. These will be mainly within the liveaboard communities and he believes some of the people imposing increases on ‘easy’ targets seem to be unaware of the effects the decisions will have on people who will not see their incomes rise to enable them to afford the announced increases.

This may well drive folk from their waterborne homes into the already struggling housing

sector on land, or it has been suggested that applying for further benefits may be an option – but the time lag between applying and receiving any help can cause further issues.

Ken can see an exodus of boaters from the waterways and thus the rises may be self-defeating as the income from licences could actually fall.

More people are already contacting Ken with their worries and once the increases start arriving in letters and inboxes his workload could well increase.

Ken can be contacted via the NABO website at https://nabo.org. uk/index.php

Campaign call, council election and cancelled stoppages NABO general secretary Peter Braybrook comments on some more topical issues.

THE year 2023 was a busy one for NABO but we are now seeing that our labours have not been in vain.

Obviously we cannot claim all the credit but our actions and pressure alongside others has resulted in a U-turn decision by Calor. Small bottles are back in the company’s repertoire but supplies will not get back to

previous levels very quickly as many bottles have been scrapped and new bottles will take time to procure.

NABO is concerned that some boat owners may have made inappropriate modifications for their gas lockers to accommodate the bottles from other suppliers. We have no evidence of this however and have to leave it to the Boat Safety Scheme inspections to highlight deficiencies.

It is election time for the Canal & River Trust Council and there are 23 boating candidates to order in a complicated transferable preference vote system. NABO does not have an allocated seat and does not nominate particular candidates for this important body which forms the legal company membership of the charity.

We have been ably represented by our treasurer, Helen Hutt, for the last four years but as her term of office comes to a close she is retiring. We do have two NABO members standing and have encouraged our membership to place them at or near the top of their list of preferences. The results were due to be announced on January 12.

Storm damage

Winter storms have brought down many trees around the canal system

almost on a daily basis. The trust has been quick to notify us of navigation restrictions and closures and we congratulate CRT and its contractors on the prompt and efficient clearance of the fallen trees. Many have been cleared the same day as they fell.

The unpredictability of the weather has led to higher-than-average rainfall which inevitably leads to flooding as watercourses cannot cope with the influx. The canal system is an integral part of the flood prevention network and flooding or overtopping always brings damage and costly repairs to make the banks and structure good for the next onslaught.

We need to commend those who work hard in water management. Not just when they keep us afloat in the dry summers but also when they keep us safe in times of too much water. All of this comes with a cost. And surely we must realise that the financial burden of management of such a national resource should not fall on a charitable trust.

The message of FundBritain’s Waterways that adequate central government funding is required for all navigation authorities needs to be proclaimed by us all. I have heard that 11,000 people have written to their MPs. But this latest burden should

increase our concern and make us write again. The petition to Parliament has not yet achieved its goal of 50,000 signatures.

Let’s get our friends, family and colleagues all talking about this and signing on to this campaign. After all we love talking about the weather.

Projects cancelled

It is unclear whether funding issues could also be behind the cancellation of some projects in the winter works programme. However, what is clear is that these works will be required in the future if the structural integrity and efficiency of the canals are to be maintained. It has been said that to do anything other than this would be like letting the Tower of London fall down.

Of course, many castles have been left to fall down. Castles are not useful edifices in military terms any more and were never designed to be comfortable dwellings. But canals are different.

They are vibrant, living environments giving pleasure and well-being to millions who visit them. They are conduits of essential water supplies, such as the Gloucester & Sharpness supplying Bristol from the River Severn and the Llangollen Canal supplying Manchester from the River Dee.

We cannot let them close.

The licence increase and surcharges continue to cause a stir on social media sites. Recently it was revealed that 60% of the boaters who replied to Canal & River Trust's consultation on the subject rejected the options that they are now implementing. This was also apparently reported by the executive to the trustees. So why were the proposals brought forward?

The final cost in boats lost because they cannot afford to pay has not been calculated. The other cost of dissatisfaction, division and disgruntlement can already be seen.

We continue to press for a U-turn on this decision.

An interesting question has come up from one of our members and our council has agreed to support him in his battle for clarity from Canal & River Trust. Does it have the power to demand its consent, and a fee, for a licensed boat to casually moor with the land owner's permission against private property on the offside of a canal?

Have all rights to moor on one’s own land been expunged by legislation?

Is this a power grab or a money grab? Time will tell and we hope that common sense will prevail.

www.towpathtalk.co.uk February 2024

71

72

February 2024

www.towpathtalk.co.uk

CRICK BOAT SHOW

2024

GREENER. SMARTER. BETTER. GR

Book to meet us at Crick Boat Show 2024 or to visit our Long Shed Our unique low energy hull design allows the choice of full solar electricity with an extended range option or serial hybrid built to your choice of interior, layout and colourway.

Lloyd's Register rules-based design provides a choice of alloys, Aluminium, Stainless Steel or Mild Steel with the confidence of the highest build standards.

Ai.boat digital platform automatically manages all systems with an integrated Wifi router, GPS live location, boat security, and much more via Avalon digital services.

CALL TODAY 01908 686 796 or email ken@avalonmarine.co.uk